April 18, 2026. 7:30am start.
This early season trail race has distances from 5km all the way up to 50km, so it really works for any type of runner. It’s the kind of race you can use as a solid training run or to check where your fitness is at early in the season. I was out there for the 50km.
This is one of those trail races that looks fast on paper and is… if you don’t mess it up.
It’s almost completely flat, wide, and super runnable. All rail trail. No technical sections, no climbs to break things up, nothing to hide behind. Just long steady running the entire time.
The course setup messes with you more than you expect.
5km out and back.
7.5km out and back.
Then you repeat it all again.
You’re constantly turning around, seeing runners at different stages of their race, and heading back out when you really don’t want to.
The trail itself is beautiful in that quiet way. Long straight stretches through forest, little openings with ponds and creeks, and everything just starting to turn green. That early spring feeling where the air smells fresh and damp and you can feel the season shifting.
Last year I ran this race and got completely fooled by it. I went out way too fast thinking I was cruising and ended up blowing up and stopping at 25km.
So this year I came back for one thing.
Redemption.
I was also coming off being sick for two weeks so I had no idea what I had in me. I didn’t have big expectations. I just wanted to finish.
Morning of the race was about 10 degrees, overcast. Perfect.
I made my way into the middle of the pack knowing my plan was a controlled run. There were a ton of us at the start line and as always the nerves were there as the countdown started.
When we got going I just kept it simple. Relax. Run your race. Have fun. Just chill. I stayed focused on running easy and smooth.
I went through the first 5km out and back and hit 10km feeling relaxed. Almost too relaxed.
I returned to the start/finish area, passed the aid station, and headed straight back out for the 7.5km.
At first it doesn’t feel like anything. But slowly it starts to creep in. That direction is a gradual uphill that kind of sneaks up on you over time, and with the extra 2.5km it starts to feel longer than it should.
But on the way back something shifted.
I started to feel really good. My legs felt strong, my breathing was controlled, and I naturally started picking up the pace without forcing it. In my head I was kind of waiting for it to fall apart, but it didn’t. So I just stayed with it.
I came back through the start/finish at 25km and felt solid. Completely different from last year.
I hadn’t stopped yet. I had my vest on and honestly wasn’t drinking as much as I should have because it was cooler out. But I felt like I had good momentum and didn’t want to break it.
So I kept going.
I headed out for the next 5km and after that loop I finally stopped quick. Grabbed a few bananas, refilled a bottle, took a breath, and got moving again.
When I came back through and hit 35km I could feel the shift starting.
I looked up and saw the overall winner already finished with his medal on. I still had 15km to go. That hits you mentally.
I congratulated him and headed back out for the final 7.5 out and back.
This is where it got hard.
My breathing got heavy, my legs started to feel everything I had done earlier. Not a blow up, just that deep fatigue where nothing feels smooth anymore and you have to work for every step.
So I locked in.
I focused on the trail right in front of me. One step at a time. I looked around more. The trees, the soft light, the wind. It had warmed up a bit and you could feel it.
Runners were coming back toward me and everyone looked the same. Tired, hurting, pushing.
I started yelling YOU ARE ALMOST THERE GO GO GO and got a lot of smiles back. That helped me too.
I hit the 7.5km aid station and I remember saying I am so tired. I also said I hoped it would rain because I was starting to feel hot.
From there it was 7.5km to the finish.
I knew I would get it done. It was just going to take everything I had.
I grabbed bananas, some pickle juice, and just focused on moving forward.
That last 7.5km felt like forever. Easily the longest part of the race. I kept running when I could and just stayed in it mentally.
With about 2km to go someone yelled 400m to go which was definitely not true.
The trail just keeps going. You can see so far ahead but somehow you can’t see the finish when you want it to.
Finally I saw the photographer. I smiled, she said you’re almost there.
I picked it up, pushed my legs, and then finally I saw the finish line.
I crossed it. 50km done.
3rd in my age group.
I went straight to the recovery area after and they had ice baths and a sauna.
That ice bath felt so good on the body. Exactly what I needed after that effort.
It was a great race. Tough mentally. There’s no hiding in this one. It just exposes you.
It took guts and grit to get through it but finishing it, especially after last year, felt powerful.
Redemption.
Huge thank you to Happy Trails for putting on such an amazing race.
Thank you to the volunteers for their time, encouragement, and energy.
And thank you to the photographer for capturing all those moments of pain and pure joy.
