The Gist
HOSTED annually on THE First Saturday in June
The 50-mile Rainier to Ruston Rail-Trail Relay
Runners enjoy the journey from the majestic base of Mount Rainier to the stunning waterfront of Tacoma on Ruston Way. You're invited to celebrate National Trails Day with us! Relay runners will commemorate the old railroad by passing through bell stands in each town along the way to the Salish Sea. Runners will traverse gorgeous forests, pass through historic Washington towns and cites, finishing the run along a beautiful waterfront park with a view of Mt. Rainier. The downhill course is a runners dream. We look forward to having you join us!
Run for the trails, stay for the party!
If you didn't already know, the race supports the non-profit Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition. The board is a dedicated group who uses all proceeds to purchase and maintain the very non-motorized trail system that you run on for public use.
We need your support by participating in this iconic run!
Relay teams start near the Carbon River entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park and finish at Marine Park on Tacoma's Ruston Way. The course passes through deep forests, alongside rushing rivers and streams and through historic towns. It uses the paved Foothills Trail to the extent possible (36%) and roads (12%), sidewalks (18%) and rough trails (33%) when not. Each leg is described in the Leg Chart and Course Conditions in the Course Manual.
Celebrate your team’s 50-mile finish by enjoying a fresh sandwich and a cold beer! Silver City Brewery will host the beer garden again this year! Each runner who wishes will receive a beer at the finish line!
Runners are on a special list and will need their ID's.
Many ways to participate
Runners tackle the course as a relay, dividing the 12 legs (each approximately three to six miles) among teams of 2, 3, 4 or 6 runners.
Teams compete in several divisions and catagories for awards.
Complete 50 miles solo! See registration page for special details for you solo crazies!!
We distribute teams evenly across five wave starts by their estimated pace in order to minimize the congestion of support vehicles at the upper exchanges. It also means that more teams arrive at the finish area between 3 and 5 pm. Please estimate the average pace of your team as accurately as possible. Use this EXCEL spreadsheet to predict and later record your runners' arrival times and splits. We stage the course based on your entered times, so please be considerate and accurate so that we can properly support you runners. Thanks!
How Does A Relay Work?
If you've never done a relay before, here's how it works:
All team members ride to the start together in their support vehicle and cheer their 1st team member as they begin leg 1. Somewhere along the way, they often find a place to wait for their teammate and offer water and moral support as they pass by. Then they drive to the exchange at the beginning of leg 2, where they review the course map with their next team member. After the handoff, they repeat the process to the finish. There are more legs than there are positions on the team, so everyone gets to rotate through it again, e.g. the members of a 4-position team each run three times through all twelve legs. It's amazing how energizing a relay is, even among members of a purely recreational or non-competitive team. You cannot help but challenge yourself to do your best. And the camaraderie that develops is great fun.
Please note:
*No vehicles 80" or wider, or longer than 20'. No motor homes, buses or limos are allowed on the course by any team or team support. Rent your support van from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and use code L450081 when booking. They give the Foothills Trail Coalition a discount!
*Any teams starting in the wrong wave will not be eligible for awards. Teams finishing ahead of wave minimum finish times will be disqualified.
*Any team consuming alcohol or drugs on the course or finish line will be disqualified and banned.
*Award categories: Mixed Open, Male Open, Female Open
*Gold RR spikes for first, silver for seconds and bronze for 3rd places
*Relay Teams of 2, 3, 4, or 6 runners
*All finishers will receive a tech shirt and medal.
*Relay racers are expected to bring their own food and hydration.
*Relay teams: Use this EXCEL spreadsheet to predict your exchange times and splits.
Packet Pick-up:
**For 2023 packet pick-up is race day only! Please plan to arrive about 30 minutes before your wave start.
When: Saturday June 3rd - 5:45AM - 9:45AM
Where: Race Start Line- Fairfax Forest Reserve Road E, Carbonado WA, 98323
To avoid congestion, only one person from each team needs to come to packet pick-up and can pick-up bibs and shirts for all team members. Please come prepared with your team name and bib number. We will release the team name and bib list the week of the race.
Click on the relay maps below for maps of the individual legs, including descriptions of the course for the runners and driving routes for the support vans. Leg maps have been updated at different times, so check the date on the bottom of your maps to see if you have the most recent version.
***PLEASE NOTE DUE TO LEG 11 REROUTE FOR 2024 THE COURSE IS 2 MILES LONGER AND TOTAL DISTANCE IS ABOUT 53.5 MILE INSTEAD OF 51.5 MILES***
Relay Map : Leg 1
Relay Map : Leg 2
Relay Map : Leg 3
Relay Map : Leg 4
Relay Map : Leg 5
Relay Map : Leg 6
Relay Map : Leg 7
Relay Map : Leg 8
Relay Map : Leg 9
Relay Map : Leg 10
Relay Map : Leg 11 <<— NOTE THIS MAP IS CORRECT FOR 2024, DATE ON MAP SAYS 2019
Note on Leg 11: There is a railroad crossing that has a small chance of being blocked by a train for an extended time. If a train is there for more than 5 minutes, please call your team and have them drive you around using this route: Leg 11 Driving Bypass (google.com). DO NOT CROSS THE TRACK IF THERE IS A TRAIN!! THIS IS ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS!!
Relay Map : Leg 12
This Excel spreadsheet can be used to calculate approximate arrival times for your runners on each leg. A description of each leg can be found in the Leg Chart and Course Conditions in the Course Manual. No need to email us with the information, it is for teams to predict times coming to each exchange and the finish line to select wave starts.
Parking on Ruston Way on a Saturday can be a challenge. Get creative, arrive early and be prepared to walk a little, but cheer on the runners as the adventure continues!