PORT ANGELES — Last year, the North Olympic Discovery Marathon’s new route drew rave reviews.
It was a point-to-point course that, for the first time in its history, began in Blyn and ended at City Pier in Port Angeles.
But flooding of the Dungeness River in February caused damage to Railroad Bridge in Sequim, and it became clear over the next several weeks that the bridge would not be repaired in time for the marathon’s 13th running on Sunday, June 7.
So, another new route was needed.
“Because of the bridge being out, we had to avoid the bridge,” co-Event Director Victoria Jones said.
Jones is running this year’s race with Michelle Little. The two have taken over for founder Larry Little, Michelle’s husband.
The marathon will begin the morning of June 7 at the Agnew soccer fields at the southeast corner of Old Olympic Highway and Barr Road.
It features two out-and-back stretches in the first half of the race.
The first is fairly short, veering from the Olympic Discovery Trail at North Barr Road, and then coming back.
The second out-and-back is much longer.
Runners leave the Olympic Discovery Trail near Siebert Creek, go under Old Olympic Highway, then veer right onto Wild Currant Way. They take a left onto Gehrke Road, run past the Lazy J tree farm and then take a right at Finn Hall Road.
They follow Finn Hall Road until the loop at Agnew Parkway. They take the loop, which returns them back towards Gehrke Road.
The final 9 miles of the marathon remain unchanged.
The other races — half-marathon, 10K, 5K — remained similar to last year. (See all the courses online at www.nodm.com/course.)
Another thing that hasn’t changed is the North Olympic Discovery Marathon’s status as a Boston Marathon qualifier.
“We were able to make it a Boston-certified course,” Jones said, “which is a pretty big deal.”
The marathoners also won’t be as lonely this year.
“We have an increase in relay teams, which I’m really excited about,” Jones said.
“It’s more fun for the marathoners; they have more athletes on the trail with them.”
Relay teams can consist of two to five people. With five runners, the relay legs range from 4.2 to 6 miles.
Jones said the relays haven’t been popular in the past, so an extra effort was made to promote them this year.
Jones said the organizers added “a bunch of different divisions” to the relays this year.
There are nine divisions: junior (19 and younger), men’s open (all men), women’s open (all women), mixed open (men and women), masters open (40 and over), grand Olympic open (55 and over), family (limited to extended family), business (runners who work for the same business) and teacher and staff (“We encourage all runners to be from the same school,” Jones said.).
As in the past, there will be a 1.2-mile kids marathon Saturday, June 6. This race starts and finishes at City Pier.
Registration is still open and will remain open until the day before the marathon.
For more information, including registration details, visit www.tinyurl.com/PDN-NODM.
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Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
