Bellingham’s Trails To Taps Relay is back Oct. 20 and it just might be the most fun you’ve ever had while exercising.
The fun run-style relay features teams of five to 10 runners, each tackling one of 10 segments on the 49-km course. Each segment ranges from 2.5 to 8 km long and finishes up at a local brewery, where every runner is rewarded with a refreshing pint of beer.
The highlight of the day might well be the massive after party at Depot Market Square from 1-5pm where all the participating breweries will be on tap, along with an armada of local food trucks.
“There’s lots of people who aren’t necessarily runners, but take part because it’s fun and they’re into it,” says race director Anna Rankin. “It’s a party, for sure. It’s really relaxed and not competitive.”
For the uninitiated, Bellingham is a legit craft beer mecca, with 15 breweries for just 90,000 people. Taps to Trails makes stops at most of them, including Boundary Bay Brewery, Stones Throw Brewery, Kulshan Brewing, Wander Brewing, Chuckanut Brewery, Menace Brewing, Twin Sisters Brewing Co, Aslan Brewery, Bellingham Cider Co, and Lost Giants Cider Co. So if you’ve never been to Bellingham before, this could be the perfect opportunity to see what’s brewing down there.
More than 800 people took part in last year’s inaugural event, and organizers are expecting an even bigger field this year. Runners need to 21+, because of those silly U.S. drinking laws.
There aren’t prizes for finishing first, but there are prizes for the best costumes and craziest baton. And people take their fun seriously in Bellingham, just check out some of the pics from last year.
If you’re interested in getting a team together, go to TrailsToTaps.com for more info.
