XTERRA Trail Run Series goes to Washington

Washington is nicknamed the Evergreen State because of its abundant evergreen forests. Could there be a better setting for a new XTERRA Trail Run Series?

The XTERRA Pacific Northwest Trail Run Series will host its first race on March 24, when the XTERRA Fort Steilacoom Trail Run is staged at Lakewood, Washington.

"Trail running is growing by leaps and bounds over here," said Eric Bone, co-series director for the Pacific Northwest Series. "In the Seattle area, there were just a few events five or six years ago, and now there are a bunch of them. It just made sense to bring XTERRA here."

The XTERRA Pacific Northwest Trail Run Series will not become an official series until the 2012-13 season, but it will host two races on the 2011-12 schedule.

In addition to the Fort Steilacoom Trail Run in March, there will also be the XTERRA Lord Hill Trail Run at Snohomish, Washington, on June 2. That will give runners two chances to "test" the trails before the series officially starts in October.

Bone said the variety of trails and unpredictable weather in the area should make for some fun - and interesting - racing.

"Of course, it can rain a lot, so there are some places that can get muddy," Bone said. "But it depends on the venue. Some places don't get as much rain. There are also a lot of mountains and obviously a lot of trees, but we also have some areas that are kind of like open prairie land. What we want to do is give the people a good cross section of the local trail running scene, so each race will be a little different."

In October, the XTERRA Harvest Half Trail Run will make its debut at Kirkland, Washington, and that will serve as the official start of the 2012-13 XTERRA Pacific Northwest Trail Run Series.

As with all other XTERRA Trail Runs across the country, the Pacific Northwest races are open to runners of all ages and skill levels. Each race will offer two separate courses - one short, one long - to accommodate the various levels of runners.

Eleven other regions across the United States are currently hosting an XTERRA Trail Run Series: Alabama, Arizona, Southern California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pocono, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Texas.

To register for a race in this new series, or to learn more about it, please visit www.nwtrailruns.com.

XTERRA Pacific Northwest Trail Run Series

March 24, 2012 - XTERRA Fort Steilacoom Trail Run (16K and 8K) at Lakewood, Wash.
June 2, 2012 - XTERRA Lord Hill Trail Run (21K and 10K) at Snohomish, Wash.
October 13, 2012 - XTERRA Harvest Half Trail Run (21K and 10K) at Kirkland, Wash.

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