You’re up Five Five summer summer events events to to get get your your adrenaline adrenaline pumping pumping by by Skylar Skylar Browning Browning
The nice thing about exploring Montana in the summer is that most of it can be done at your leisure—head in any direction, at any time you want, and pick any number of different adventures to fit your skill set and schedule. But a few marquee events are planned and organized—and worth highlighting for either their participatory or spectator appeal. Here are five worth circling on the calendar:
Waterton-Glacier Relay
Missoula Marathon
Photo courtesy of Tom Robertson
How many races require participants to carry a passport? This monster covers 100 miles, starting in Cardston, Alberta, and ending in East Glacier, Montana. Most teams include eight runners—some are only four, others 12—who break up 24 different legs of the course. Participants run through night and day, and must finish in less than 20 hours. It’s a grueling test, but one that traverses some of the most beautiful terrain in the region. This year’s event starts at 4 a.m. on June 23. Oh, and about those passports? We love how the 21page race instructions include this little nugget: “The border is not providing a special lane of traffic for this event (runners or vehicles) and may therefore lead to added excitement and/or delays to your leg of the event.” Added excitement, indeed. For more information, visit watertonglacierrelay.com
Marshall Mountain Races Last year, Missoula hosted its first-ever professional cross-country mountain bike race at Marshall Mountain. The event—sanctioned by the International Biking Union and U.S.A. Cycling—returns in 2012 on July 14. That means the weekly pre-race series also returns, making for a rugged competition for local riders and a spectator-friendly spectacle. The races run every Wednesday evening for three weeks before the big event—that’s June 27, July 4 and July 11, starting at 5:30—and feature three riding levels, prizes and beverages. It’s a great opportunity to pedal a professional course, support an emerging local event and meet other riders. If you just want to watch, we recommend staking out a spot at the infamous “A-Line,” a mid-course jump that guarantees big air, wreckage or the jeer-worthy veer to the safer “B-Line.” For more information, visit missoulaxc.org
Missoula Marathon Readers of Runner’s World magazine nudged this event into national acclaim when it was named Best Overall Marathon in 2010. Now in its sixth year, the race is touted for its attention to detail, cooler temperatures, and scenic course, which runs through the Missoula Valley’s rural westside before finishing downtown. Last year’s event drew participants from all 50 states, plus Khazakstan and Singapore, and a post-race survey showed 90 percent of them would be back again within the next couple years. This Missoula Marathon year’s race is set for July 8, with a 5K and Kid’s Marathon scheduled for July 7. Find more information at runwildmissoula.org Photo courtesy of Tom Robertson