Saturday, October 14, 2017 • Soda Springs, ID • Course Map
Set for its 8th annual running in 2017 along the city streets and parkland trails of this small southeastern Idaho city with views of the Rocky Mountains off in the distance, the Soda “Screamer Thirteener” race, 10K run, a 5K run, a 5K walk, and a 1-mile fun run for kids, in addition to the 13.1-mile half marathon distance.
As one would probably gather from its October date, the race is timed to celebrate the Halloween holiday, and organizers encourage runners to come dressed out in their scariest, spookiest costumes for the race, if they so choose.
Over the past couple of years, runners have come decked out in outfits ranging from full sumo wrestling gear to “mad professor”-style labcoats and wigs, while others wore Hawaiian shirts and leis throughout the race.
The course for the race follows an out-and-back route that starts and finishes at Soda Springs’s Kelly Park. From there, runners head out on a course that takes them into the trails and hills just north and east of the park, which make two loops in the areas just above the park. Once runners have made it through the first three miles, the course then begins a downhill stretch back through Kelly Park and onto East 2nd Street.
Once runners reach the turn onto East 2nd Street, they turn right and head west toward downtown Soda Springs, where they’ll pass by what is perhaps the city’s biggest claim to fame, its captive geyser that is situated right in downtown Soda Springs.
It’s even been featured on the old television show “Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” and erupts on the hour, every hour. Runners stay on the course through downtown, heading west, along 1st Street until it becomes Cedar View Road.
Runners follow Cedar View as it curves around to the right, taking them all the way north to the intersection with Vista Circle. Here, they make the turnaround and head back south along Cedar View in the opposite direction, back into downtown Soda Springs.
They’ll follow the road all the way to the intersection with Main Street, where they turn left and head north onto North Main Street, and spend roughly the next three miles along a gradual uphill along a loop through the countryside just north of town.
A couple of turns later — on Government Dam Road and North 3rd Street — and runners are heading south back toward downtown Soda Springs. The left turn to head east on 1st Street is followed by a retracing of the steps runners made earlier in the race, back in the direction of Kelly Park, where the race finish line lies.
Race Weather & Climate
Located in Idaho’s southeastern corner, just over 100 miles southeast of Idaho Falls and roughly 170 miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah, Soda Springs typically sees cool (and sometimes quite cold) to mild weather in October, which has brought record temperatures here as low as 6°F (in 1996) and as high as 85°F (in 1980).
On race day (Oct. 14), the average low is 27°F and the average high is 60°F.
Course Map
See the race route map for the Soda Screamer Thirteener Half Marathon here.
Starting Time
- 8:00 AM – half marathon
- 8:30 AM – 10K
- 9:15 AM – 5K
- 10:15 AM – kids 1 mile
Fees
See race website
Registration
To reserve your spot in the 2017 running of Soda Springs’s Soda Screamer Thirteener Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, register online at ItsYourRace.com here.
Official Race Website
Facebook Conversations
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