Go Beyond Racing has some exciting changes coming up for the 2020 trail and ultra running community. We are adding a new race and making changes to the distances offered at another event.
If you haven’t already heard, the reins for the Elijah Bristow 24/12 Hour Run were passed to Go Beyond earlier this month. This well-loved, timed-loop-trail race has been around since 2014 and the organizers put their hearts and souls into it. Their passion, however, is the non-profit that is working to build a connector trail from Eugene, Oregon to the Pacific Crest Trail. They felt they could serve both better if they focus on just the Eugene2PCT organization and asked if we’d had any interest in taking over the race.
In 2017, we crewed a friend at Bristow 24 and were impressed then with the event. After just a couple conversations with some of the folks on the board of Eugene2PCT and a meeting with race director Ed Willson, we knew that this was something we wanted to do. We were so excited about this race that we even shelved a new ultra we were developing for next June. It helped, too, that we had just put on our new Lastest Not Fastest race and had so much fun there. Lastest Not Fastest is similar but different, and gave us the confidence that we could continue the tradition of Bristow 24/12 Run while bringing some Go Beyond Racing qualities and features to it.
The race is on a 1.05-mile loop at Elijah Bristow State Park, just outside of Eugene, Oregon. The course if flat and has enough variety that you won’t get bored. We know we have some big shoes to fill and we will work hard to make the race a great event. The Eugene2PCT is the race beneficiary. Race date is June 27th.
The other change happening next year is with the NUT. This poor race has seen so many challenges, and we would be lying if we said we never think of just getting rid of it. Fires have damaged the North Umpqua River trail and surrounding area more than once, even causing the cancellation of the 2017 race the week of the event! The trail is fragile and steep and needs a lot of work to keep it safe and runnable each year. But, it is amazingly beautiful and we believe that it is a hidden gem that, once more people discover it, will get the resources it deserves to maintain it.
For 2020, we are dropping the 100K distance and adding a 17-mile point-to-point course. We’ve had many requests for a shorter distance at this trail race and are excited to offer this so those who not interested in the ultra distance can experience the beauty of the NUT. The 50K stays unchanged. This swap will reduce the miles of trail that have to be cleared and focuses our energy on some of the most stunning portions of the trail – the Dread and Terror segment.
The new 17-mile route starts at Toketee Lake, which is also an aid station for the NUT 50K. It will finish at Lemolo Lake, just like the ultra. Even though it is shorter, this 17M course still has plenty of climbing. There is 3,500 feet of gain and 1,800 of loss. This section is the hardest part of the 50K course. But, it is also some of the most stunning scenery with lots of waterfalls and plenty of riverside running.
The very first year of the NUT, the race earned the term “brutiful” for it brutal beauty. It is a technical, uphill, point-to-point course that follows alongside the North Umpqua River. You’d be nuts to pass up either distance of this trail race. Race date for 2020 is August 29th.
We hope you can put one or both of these on your 2020 race calendar! You can find out more about each here: Bristow 24/12 Run and NUT 50K & 17M.
You can see the rest of our 2020 race schedule here.