Mount Rainier Half Marathon

Mount Rainier Half Marathon takes place on July 16, 2027, at Crystal Mountain Resort near Ashford, Washington, over two days. The trail half marathon (13.1 mi) starts at 6:00 a.m. with 731 metres of descent and a difficulty rating of five out of five; a 10K runs at 6:00 p.m., and combined challenges — the Sasquatch Double and the Mountain Goat Triple — pair several races at 1:00 p.m.

Seven hundred metres of descent on technical mountain trail is harder than the same amount of climbing: the quadriceps take every step, and the damage accumulates silently until the last few kilometres. Train downhill running specifically, use shorter, quicker steps than feel natural, and keep your weight forward rather than braking with your heels.