RUN Wenatchee

WENATCHEE — RunWenatchee will be offering some new twists to its running events in the Wenatchee Valley in 2020.

The organization announced today it will hold six official races this year, along with the annual Trails In Motion Film Festival and its weekly Run Club activity.

Participants in the three-race Wenatchee Valley Trail Run Series can now sign up in a “Ruck Division” for the first time. Rucking is hiking/fastpacking/trail running with a weighted pack. The weight is based on a man’s or woman’s body weight. Each finisher will receive a commemorative Ruck Patch, along with a finisher medal.

RunWenatchee also is going green in 2020.

“We are working on becoming more sustainable environmentally,” said Joel Rhyner of RunWenatchee. “We will not be using paper cups during our Wenatchee Valley Trail Run Series. Instead, runners will receive a disposable, collapsible and reusable cup for each event. In addition, race shirts will be available for purchase only, reducing waste of extra shirts. The shirts will be made from recycled or sustainably sourced materials as well. For our non-trail events, we will be using as many recycled and recyclable products as possible.”

RunWenatchee’s race season begins on Feb. 22 with the Wenatchee Heart Breaker 5K and 10K held on the Apple Capital Loop Trail from Pybus Public Market and concludes with the Nov. 26 Turkey on the Run 5K, 12K and Kids Race on Thanksgiving Day at Walla Walla Point Park.

In between those two events are the July 4 River Run on the Fourth 5K and 10K on the Loop Trail and the races that make up the Wenatchee Valley Trail Run Series (Horse Lake Trail Runs in the Wenatchee Foothills on May 9, the Red Devil Challenge Trail Runs south of Cashmere on June 6, and the Oktoberfest Trail Runs at Leavenworth Ski Hill on Oct. 17).

The Trails In Motion Film Festival, which features a series of short trail running films shot around the world, will be held March 26 at Pybus Market’s Local Tel Event Center.

The May 9 Horse Lake Trail Runs will feature a new distance — 10 miles — at Horse Lake Reserve near Wenatchee. That new course will incorporate the previous 7-mile course, plus tack on three miles from the new Burts Trail, Rhyner said. Horse Lake’s 5-mile and 25K courses remain the same for 2020.

RunWenatchee also is looking at adding a longer distance to the Oktoberfest Trail Runs to join the event’s 5-mile and 10-mile courses at Leavenworth Ski Hill, Rhyner said.

The June 6 Red Devil Challenge Trail Runs, held in the Wenatchee National Forest south of Cashmere, will again include a 50K race. It is the only 50K in the Wenatchee Valley.

Turkey on the Run was held at Walla Walla Point Park for the first time in 2019 and that will become its permanent home.

“We will be continuing to improve the running and walking experience with some new routes for walkers at Turkey on the Run,” Rhyner said.

Main beneficiaries of the six races are:

• Heart Breaker — Wenatchee Mended Hearts
• Horse Lake Trail Runs — Chelan-Douglas Land Trust
• Red Devil Trail Runs — Chelan County Mountain Rescue
• River Run on the Fourth — Literacy Council of Chelan and Douglas Counties
• Oktoberfest Trail Runs — Leavenworth Winter Sports Club
• Turkey on the Run — Women’s Resource Center of NCW

In addition to the races and film festival, RunWenatchee will continue to hold its weekly Run Club from 4 to 6 p.m. every Thursday from Pybus Market throughout the year (with the exception of holidays). The free activity is for both runners and walkers. RunWenatchee was founded in 2007. Its mission is to improve the health and fitness of residents and visitors through the sport of running