Many visitors to Sisters Country come to the area for outdoor pursuits, including running. The area is a paradise for trail running, with choices of established trails as well as backroads and paved byways.
Those visitors looking to find an organized race to run are in luck. Local running events take place throughout the year in and around Sisters.
From low-key 5k’s to ultra-length trail runs, Sisters Country has a lot to offer.
When Kelly Bither moved to Sisters she immediately established an organization called RunSistersRun and over the past three years she has offered three different family-friendly, themed races during the year, with a fourth on the way.
In December runners don their holiday garb for the Ugly Sweater Run. Around St. Patrick’s Day in March everything turns green for the Lucky Leprechaun 5k and 10k, and in September runners kick up their heels at the Pole Creek Ranch for the Giddy-Up run.
Bither plans to add a Fourth of July run to take the place of the popular Rumble on the Runway, which had its last hurrah in 2023.
Details for all these races can be found at www.runsistersrun.com.
The grandfather of all the local races is the Peterson Ridge Rumble, which takes place in mid-April. The Rumble got its start in 2001 as a low-key trail run and has now grown into one of the most popular trail races in Oregon, with distances of 20 and 40 miles on courses that use large sections of the Peterson Ridge Trail system, as well as the Metolius-Windigo Trail. The race attracts participants from throughout the Northwest and has a cap of 500 entrants.
Sean Meissner, race director for the Rumble said, “For runners, having these local races just gives them one more reason to come and visit this beautiful area.”
Summertime features a unique race held July 20 at the Hoodoo Ski Area called the Hoodoo Run to the Top, sponsored by the Sisters Kiwanis Club. The main event is a trail half marathon, but a 5k race is also available. And, yes, the finish line is truly at the top of Hoodoo Butte.
October 26 is the date for the annual Happy Girls Sisters half-marathon, 10k and 5k for women. The half-marathon is mostly on the Peterson Ridge Trail and finishes at FivePine Lodge.
Additionally, visitors are welcome to join the local running club for get-together runs throughout the year. The Sisters Country Running Club posts invitations for informal runs via Facebook. Those interested need to request to join the group on Facebook as it is private, according to Amy Margolis, one of the site administrators. In addition to “Track Tuesday” when the group meets at 6:30 a.m. at the high school track, other offerings are posted throughout the week with dates, times, and distances.
Many other races are offered in the Central Oregon region as well, most of which are posted on the website for FootZone, the running store in Bend www.footzonebend.com.
July 4: Red, White and Blue 5k
October 12: Giddy-Up
October 26: Happy Girls Sisters: Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
December 7: Ugly Sweater
Track Tuesdays (6:30 a.m. year-round)
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