This was really not a fun event. The entire experience felt disorganized with poor direction. They…read moreuse one off volunteers to maximize their profits and make our experience worse. The volunteers are friendly and trying to be helpful but lack the knowledge or experience to make things happen with any efficiency. This was coupled with long lines. The wait to check in was 45 minutes. The wait for a locker was 10 the wait for a hose to spray off the mud was 20+. These events are expensive and it is clear that Spartan race means to squeeze every dime out of you. $15-$30 for lockers, $150 for entry, $30 for photos and the list goes on. The obstacles are fine, the only redeeming quality is the other racers who all seem to be there to get through this together. People were happy to help each other and that was cool to see.

AROO! I did the Spartan Race for the first time with a large group of friends and had a blast!…read more The Spartan Race for the Seattle area takes place in Monroe, near the high school at a spacious equestrian field in Snohomish County. It definitely was the perfect landscape for obstacles and trail running. For the most part, the event was well organized and they had plenty of volunteers throughout the entire race, to help navigate and cheer you on! Even as you arrive, you're directed to where to park and there are signs everywhere for checking in, restrooms, food and drinks, etc. The space for the race was ideal since it had everything you need for a spartan race, like trails through the woods, uneven grounds, hills and steep inclines, and yes, they even bulldozed some holes for the muddy pits that's part of the three obstacles where you get dirty. There are three different races that occur during the weekend the race takes place: Beast, a 21k with 30 obstacles, Super, a 10k with 25 courses or the Spring, a 5k with 20 obstacles. It was definitely a fun and exhilarating experience that I'll never forget! It was also cool to see how many people visited the Seattle area, just for this race that takes place every year, all over the world. Everyone was very friendly and loved the encouragement from fellow spartans and the volunteers and staff, cheering you on. I can't believe I'll say this, but yeah, I'd do it again.

This is one of the most fun races you could ever run. Everything was so thoughtfully organized and…read moreexecuted flawlessly. The location was easy to find and parking was plentiful. Now, if you don't know what the Blerch is - look up The Oatmeal. Read two of his short comics: The terrible and wonderful reasons I run long distances" and "the do's and don'ts of running your first marathon." Now, you are in the right mindset to Beat the Blerch! We were greeted by the Start line. Disney songs and pop music flooded the area. Blerchs were wondering around offering mallow puffs (bacon and chocolate covered marshmallows) to all. We quickly registered and received: a headband, sticker, tattoo, bib, and long sleeve technical t-shirt with the specific length we were running on it. We snapped a quick picture on the sofa with the Sasquatch, while the Blerch snoozed along side of us. We stretched and took off in one of the 2 minute waves that spread people out and made the course comfortable. Blerchs chased us and people showed up in droves, dressed as food, dinosaurs and hornets. The first water station had cake on a stick, purple juice, water, pb&Js, and..a couch. We ran along side the river and over the beautiful gold Tower bridge. All the water stations had couches, Blerchs, and cake. The mood was light and cheery. We ran along the front of the Capitol, back over the bridge, and ended with a high five from Sasquatch and our names over the loud speaker inside Raley Field. This was my daughter's first race. She is not a runner. She had a blast. All because of a guy that draws funny pictures. Amazing.

I've been trying to contact Matt for weeks now. My race kit was sent back to sender due to wrong…read moreaddress. Since then I've been trying to get in touch with Beat the Blerch team to help me resolve this problem. I emailed him on Beat the Blerch, I emailed him on The Oatmeal account, I just can't seem to get response from him. I'm a huge fan of his work and I've been supporting this race since 2020. last year (2021) I didn't receive my race shirt, I let it go because I love the race. I contacted him and no response. This year I never even got my race kit. I am deeply disappointed in such poor customer service. I really want to support this race. I respect Matt as a runner but being disappointed two years in a row might be the reason I stop supporting him completely. Please check your email and social media Matt and help send me my race kit again.

This is my first time joining UW Dawg Dash. And, I am not a UW alumni. But, I thought it's nice to…read moreget the spirits going and help out UW students in their scholarship. It's meaningful. However, my friend who ran with me was a UW alumni. That's another reason to support. This isn't really a big event. But, everyone was running/walking hard. I am a dog lover. I think the best part of this run is that you can bring your dogs. Unfortunately, my boys don't really run. In addition, there were a few sponsors handing out goodies. My favorite would be the green tea chopsticks and Peak's Frozen Custard, Pumpkin flavor. When it comes to the route and course, this run isn't my favorite. Towards to the end, the course looped around campus several times. It got crowded, a bit confusing, and complicated for 10K. I think the 5K may have been a better route since it's shorter.

The Dawg Dash is a 5K and 10K run sponsored by the University of Washington to raise money for the…read morealumni association. The biggest draw for me is this is a dog friendly event. There aren't many in Seattle unfortunately even though this is a dog friendly city. My pooch, Dugan, and I have done it two years in a row. This is a fairly well organized event. This year I had to stand in line longer to get my race bib than I had last year but that tends to happen. The run starts in Husky Stadium. Before the gun goes off to start the race the Star Spangled Banner is played. You run on the track then run out of the stadium. Soon you are in the UW campus, on the Burke Gilman Trail then back into the stadium for the finish. While running through campus the alumni band is playing festive tunes to keep you motivated. The course is mostly flat with a few small inclines here and there. This is a great run for beginners. Don't worry. LIttle Bobby won't be left out. For the little guys there is a free one mile Pup run which commences once all the runners are out of the stadium. While I enjoy this run my only complaint is there are no waves. The runners, walkers, and joggers all start at the same time. Due to my frequent trips to the bathroom caused by nerves Dugan and I were stuck in the back. When the gun went off we were ready to go at full speed but were stopped in our tracks as we encountered the walkers. For at least half a mile there is no room to move. It is crowded not only with humans but with dogs. Be aware of the length of your dog's leash and you'll be just fine. I recommend the Dawg Dash highly because I can run with my dog. Also, the course is easy as pie. The alumni band is a great touch as well.

The BEST thing my teenage son has ever done. SRA is an outstanding rowing club that produces top…read moreathletes who are highly recruited by some of the best colleges in the country. The rowers, coaches, directors, and parents of SRA are an outstanding class of people, and it is an honor to be affiliated with them. I highly recommend SRA to everyone!

I took the "Learn to Row" month long class a few summers ago as an out of shape adult. Turns out I…read morelove to row! The instructor was precise and encouraging, careful to show us good form from the very start. My fellow rowers were enthusiastic, but also a little out of shape middle aged adults. We all had a great time, and often went into Redmond for drinks and munchies after classes. Everyone finished the twice a week class, which is really saying something in a busy summer. Note that you are expected to come a little early and leave later after putting the boats away. Traffic along Lake Sammamish Blvd can be pretty busy heading south in the evenings. The facilities are adequate with a lovely spot along the river that feeds into Lake Sammamish on the north end. They are fund-raising for a beautiful new facility. Until then, the parking lot is a little dark and the walk to the boathouse is a little scary to make alone. I just waited until another class member showed up and walked with them. Make sure you ALWAYS pay for parking, or buy a pass from the city of Redmond. I'm looking forward to taking "Learn to Row II" so I can join the Assoc and take out a skull by myself. Also looking forward to enrolling my kid - she has the perfect body type, and it would be nice to have some sort of hope of a sports scholarship for college. She's not very sporty otherwise.

I have been riding at Legacy for the past seven years and love it. There are a several reasons why…read moreI decided to start riding at Legacy: 1. They care a lot about the safety of the horse and the rider. The horses are treated GREAT here. They have chiropractor, acupuncture, and massage appointments, are shoed regularly, groomed, turned out every day, fed high quality food, and are kept in incredible condition. The retired horses often go to the Northwest School of Animal Massage for students to practice massaging on. 2. If you don't have your own horse, they have lesson horses. This was one of the hardest things to find when I moved to Washington because I don't own a horse. The lesson horses are super high quality and not over worked at all. 3. You have to take ownership in what you do here. Some other barns will tack up the horse for you and have it waiting once you arrive. At Legacy, you're responsible for retrieving your horse from its stall/paddock, grooming, tacking up, untacking, and cleaning the tack. This is great for some of the younger kids because they learn the basics to taking care of a horse. 4. They host their own fun shows, giving the riding academy and training program students opportunities to compete in a fun environment. The training program is really successful and the students involved are often traveling for horse shows in the warmer months. The facility itself is located at the old Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville with some trails behind it. There's an indoor and outdoor arena for when it's a nice day out. I would highly recommend Legacy!

I've been riding in Legacy's training/competition program for almost 8 years now. I came to Legacy…read moreat 14 and head trainer Shelly Kerron worked with me to help me truly understand and be able to execute the fundamentals of proper riding and brought me through the ranks to competing at a national level. Shelly's teaching style is a combination of explaining concepts of riding and then creating exercises that encourage riders and horses to demonstrate the concept she is teaching, weather that be straightness, smooth turns, or proper position. Shelly is an excellent horsewoman and Legacy horses all receive impeccable care and training. One of the most notable aspects of Shelly's program is how she teaches proper horsemanship and leadership qualities to young riders and encourages everyone to be involved with the local equestrian community. Many of us who rode with Shelly as juniors became captains or presidents of our college equestrian teams and served on the board of the Washington State Hunter Jumper Association, which puts on shows in the area. Lizzie Kerron, Shelly's assistant and younger sister, is also an excellent instructor and is wonderful with younger kids as well as adults. Lizzie's teaching style compliments Shelly's by her ability to help a rider mentally break down an exercise and explain what riders should be feeling their horses do through each step of the exercise. Legacy also has a lesson program with some of the nicest and well trained lesson horses I've ever encountered. The lesson program always has top quality instruction to teach the basics and offers summer camps and fun shows throughout the year. Horse care at Legacy is a top priority, and many of us call the barn "Spa Legacy" because of all the services and amenities offered (equine massage, chiropractor, therapeutic equipment, equine treadmill to keep horses in shape, just to name a few). If you're looking for a place to learn to ride, take lessons, or compete at the highest level Legacy is the best in the Seattle area.

So, Are you interested in running a 50km trail trail race near Snoqualmie? It was my 77th marathon…read more/ ultra & kicking off 2nd round 50 states marathons with WA. :) The Mount Si 50 mile / 50km ultra marathon distance events are for those seasoned marathoners who want to get into the ultra distances, but don't want to have a tough course. Don't get me wrong, 50 km (31.4 miles) is a long way on two feet, regardless of running, jogging or walking (or a combination thereof). I had signed up for the 50 miler, thinking that I can try to finish within the time limitations of 12 hours, but my training for it seemed to dictate otherwise. And with that information presented to me. I opted to drop down the distance to the 50 km instead and have a better experience rather than trying to slog through 50 miles. They also have an ultra marathon relay as well, having many teams covering 50 miles and 50 km in a faster time. The Mount Si trail ultra marathon events are a small bunch, attracting those who love to run and run longer they thought possible. The experience of being in Washington state astounded me, especially when you're outside the Seattle sprawl. Entry fees for the Mount Si 50 mile and 50 km were exactly the same! I was kind of floored when I saw that on the website. It was $50 for both races, which was definitely affordable and a great price for an ultra marathon. It's comparable to those urban city marathons that charge $75 or more for the same experience. Online registration accepts major credit cards, so that's always the industry standard for registration. It's a race that's somewhat low key and the scenery along the course was quite scenic. The 50 km course was an out and back course along the Snoqalmie Valley Trail, 16 miles out and 15 miles back. It starts and finishes at the Snoqalmie elementary school in Snoqualmie, WA. I really don't like out and back, since you see the same stuff twice, not like point to point courses, where you just see anything once and be done with it. What I liked about the course was the stunning views of the mountain scape and the lush scenery along the trail. Yet, seeing the same thing twice is okay, on the trail - just not in an urban setting. Packet pick up is held at the Everyday Athlete specialty running store in Kirkland, WA. It was kind of weird having it in Kirkland and the race itself was about 45 minutes at least in Snoqualmie. Not sure how this came to pass, but that's how it is. There is even race morning packet pick up, but you would need to get there early enough to secure your bib and get everything ready before toeing the the start line. At the Snoqualmie elementary school, be there early, as many relay teams take up a lot of the parking stalls. I was lucky enough to find a space on the other parking lot next to a curb. The official time limit for the 50 km is 8.5 hours, but it's flexible if you need to take more time. I'd advise that you notify the race director, if you do so, so they can make the necessary adjustments for you. The Mount Si 50 km race was indeed a humbling experience. Having drank an entire bottle of wine 30 minutes to the start, I managed to score a PR / PB in the 50 km distance. How I did that is beyond me, but it worked. It's not recommended. Still, the mount si ultra distance events are well run with a touch of beautiful scenery. There aren't any individual mile markers, so you would have to rely on the scenery, your sanity, and the love of nature to get you through the miles. The nice part of the out and back is that you get to see your faster friends speeding past you. It's nice to see them and say hi. And so, if you are a trail runner and a long distance endurance athlete wanting to test your limitations, physically, mentally challenged and spiritually, you may want to come here and take on this challenge. Run more! Support local! A+

Great group of volunteers! Had so much fun. Well run and beautiful viewsread more

Went for my 12 year olds bday party and the kids had the best time. Two weeks later and they are…read morestill talking about it

On Saturday May 20 I took my stepson, our family and a few of his friends to Eastside Paintball for…read morehis 13th birthday. Needless to say it was a huge hit with everyone. It's a bit of a drive but it's an easy and beautiful drive, very scenic. I was looking for a store front, but there isn't one, so keep your eyes peeled the GPS takes you to a gate and that's the right place. Our referee for the day was Jim, nice easy going guy. Took time to answer all questions, talk about safety, explain the games and provide great commentary and took photos of our games. At one point our 11 year old daughter got an unfortunate shot right behind her ear and it stung quite a bit. Jim went right out and got her and took her to our safe zone so she could rest and calm down and we didn't have to worry. She was back in the game after sitting one out and having fun again. All the paintball guns worked flawlessly and there was zero issue with any of the gear. The site we played on was basically just natural forest with some old fallen stumps and logs, lots of cover. At the end of the day I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking to just go out and have fun in our beautiful Pacific Northwest scenery.

Such a fun place to do laps on small trails. Work up speed into the jumps. The kids can do laps…read moreon Boot Camp and build confidence. Amazing trail building into the natural ravines.

First time mountain biker. Super clean. Everyone friendly. Mix of beginners, 1 yr olds strapped…read moresafely to moms and dads, and experts (at least to my beginner eye.) Had an absolute blast on greens and blues (similar system to skiing) and was a great mix of downhills, cross country, and some light climbing. The lot was quite busy but it looked like the turnover was also frequent.