Put the North Olympic Discovery Marathon on your Bucket List
Put the North Olympic Discovery Marathon on Sunday, June 3, on your bucket list. With almost of million acres of wilderness in the nearby Olympic National Park, visitors will find different ecosystems that include glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests and 70 miles of wild coastline – some of which is visible right from the 26.2-mile course.
This point-to-point marathon follows the Olympic Discovery Trail between Sequim and Port Angeles, along the northern edge of the Olympic peninsula, overlooking Sequim Bay and taking runners through Sequim State Park under large cedar, fir and hemlock trees. There are nine bridges spanning creeks and rivers that flow north from the Olympic Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The course also crosses Dungeness River Railroad Bridge, Siebert Creek, and traverses through quiet, rolling hills while offering stunning views along the waterfront as runners close in on the finish line at Port Angeles City Pier. Aid stations will offer water, electrolyte drinks, gel and fruit from enthusiastic volunteers along the course.
The lush and scenic landscape will likely include eagles, hawks and ravens on the hunt, along with seals, sea lions, whales, or sea otters on the rugged coast of the Pacific Ocean. This area is part of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, a space of over 3,310 square miles (about twice the size of the park).
Other weekend events include a Race Expo and kids marathon on Saturday, along with a half marathon, 10K and 5K on Sunday. All registered runners will receive top quality performance shirts. All participants will receive a finisher’s medal made by a local artist, as well as a post-race celebration with food, music, massage, beer garden and more.
The North Olympic Discovery Marathon is part of the Salish Sea Road Race Series. Entrants receive a 15% discount when registering for more than one of the following races: Whidbey Island Marathon, Capital City Marathon, North Olympic Discovery Marathon and Bellingham Bay Marathon. All participants who cross the finish line of three out the four events will receive a commemorative medal, as well as Salish Sea Road Race Series swag. Runners who finish three of these events will automatically be entered.
With the views and landscape, there’s a reason the North Olympic Discovery Marathon was voted “Most Scenic Course” in 2015 by Northwest Runner Magazine. To sign up, visit nodm.com.
