The bite stuff
Sink your teeth into the Three Capes Marathon Relay
In any good partnership, the load is shared to lighten the burden; just like a relay. Why run a whole marathon when you can split the distance with your friends?
The Three Capes Marathon Relay, the first leg in a series of fleet-footed events hosted by the Ultimook nonprofit, is a 26.2-mile course traveling the Three Capes Scenic Loop, starting at Cape Meares Lake, passing Cape Lookout and ending at Webb County Park in Pacific City. The Race kicks off this Saturday, Feb. 28.
The rugged course, with plenty of hills, passes through or runs adjacent to six state parks, two National Wildlife Refuges and multiple Tillamook County Parks, and boasts stunning vantage points of Tillamook Bay, Netarts Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Local spectators are encouraged to come out and cheer participants along.
The course is separated into five legs which vary in distances from 4.37 miles to just under seven miles. Participants can choose between running the race as a solo marathoner or as a two or five-person team. Team categories include: family, business, school or Clydesdale. Starting and ending at sea level, there is a significant elevation climb within the course, offering a challenging racing venue.
“If you dare to tackle this course as a two-person team or solo, times will not be fast, but the satisfaction of completion will be as grand as the view,” said Race Director Patrick Zweifel.
Cost for registration is $339 for a five-person team, $165 for a two-person team and $95 for solo marathoners. Every participant will receive a custom Three Capes Relay Medal when crossing the finish line. Register online at threecapesrelay.com or register at packet pick-up the night before the event.
High school and middle school teams can receive a discount by using the code: "High School Runner" when registering to receive 30 percent off the team fee.
The Ultimook nonprofit supports local kids running programs and helps long-distance runners develop in both mind and body.
One of the programs under the Ultimook umbrella is the Ultimook Running Camp: a week-long overnight high school cross country training camp hosted at the Hydrangea Ranch in Tillamook.
“It’s hard to know whether you’re training hard until you’ve surrounded yourself with better runners,” said Camp Director Drew Wasmund. “This camp is an unbelievable opportunity to broaden your horizons and become a student of the sport.”
Each day of camp is highlighted by a different type of run and training via sand, hills or trails with workouts tailored to all levels from beginner to all-state runners.
“The Ultimook Running Camp is a legend of the Northwest,” Zweifel said. “It’s rugged beauty, old-school grit.”
Many athletes note the Sasquatch Games as a favorite, memorable experience at camp. The Sasquatch Games facilitate teamwork and leadership through activities such as a geocache run, log carry relay, paintball biathlon competition and the chocolate milk mile.
“I believe leadership and teamwork are the keys to great team success,” Zweifel said. “The primary focus of the Ultimook Running Camp is to build better leaders and facilitate great teamwork. The Sasquatch Games is the ultimate team-building exercise and the highlight of camp. The moment you put your team in front of yourself is the moment that special things begin to happen for your team and yourself. Our hope is that you take this energy back home to your teams and lead them to a state championship!”
This year the Ultimook Running Camp will offer two sessions: July 26 to August 1, and August 2 to 8. The cost is $869 per each weekly session. For more information and registration, go to ultimookrunningcamp.com.