Gorge Waterfalls 50k Now Full!

Entrants List as of 3pm(PST) 2/25/11

The race is now full! I will be taking names for the waiting list for until the weekend before the race and i'll notify the runners on the waitlist on monday march 7th whether or not they're in.

A shout out to Nuun!

Nuun has been sponsoring Rainshadow Running for years, longer than any other sponsor actually. Locally based Nuun and their electrolyte drink tablets have been keeping runners optimally hydrated while climbing up the Powerline Trail at Orcas Island 50k/25k or while navigating the rocky ridge top trails at Cle Elum 50k/25k or while weaving among the wildflowers at Sun Mountain 50m/50k/25k/1k. And Nuun will be keeping you from cramping (and all the other miserable side effects of not staying properly hydrated) while traipsing through the apline meadows, bombing down the crazy steep descents, frolicking among moss covered everything, and soaking in the sunshine race after glorious race all year long in the rainshadow!

Learn more about Nuun at their newly spruced up website: http://www.nuun.com/

Gorge Waterfalls 50k: only a dozen spots left!

Less than 3 weeks until the first running of the Gorge Waterfalls 50k and there are only about 1 dozen spots left in the race. Go here to sign up: http://www.databarevents.com/gorge.asp

Taxing People Who Pay to Recreate?

There's a new bill in the Washington State Legislature that I believe aims to change sales tax law to include taxing the sales and charges associated with recreation activities. This could be interpreted to include the money you are charged when entering a running race. This seems weird to me-- aren't there more appropriate things to tax? Aren't there better ways to run our government? I know I'm biased but this just doesn't sit well with me. For those of you interested in more about this or at least curious as to why the six state legislators who are sponsoring the bill think this is a good idea I've attached some more information below(including links to the representative's contact info so you can ask them yourselves):

The bill: HB1452

The Sponosrs: Kathy Haigh(D), Ed Orcutt(R), Dave Upthegrove(D), Marcie Maxwell(D), Marko Liias(D), Bruce Dammeier(R), Hans Zeiger(R)

I read the bill twice and two things stood out to me: 1, they never define recreational activities which to me is a pretty broad and encompassing term. Wikipedia defines it as: "Recreation is an essential part of human life and finds many different forms which are shaped naturally by individual interests but also by the surrounding social construction. Recreational activities can be communal or solitary, active or passive, outdoors or indoors, healthy or harmful, and useful for society or detrimental. A list of typical activities could be almost endless including most human activities, a few examples being reading, playing or listening to music, watching movies or TV, gardening, hunting, hobbies, sports, studies, and travel. Not all recreational activities can be considered wise, healthy, or socially acceptable or useful—examples are gambling, drinking, or delinquent activities. Recreational drugs are being used to enhance the recreational experience, a wide-ranging and controversial subject as some drugs are accepted or tolerated by society within limits, others not and declared illegal."

And 2, they never say how much those sales will be taxed. Perhaps that's determined in another part of the legal system.

And the question that pervades throughout all of this is "why?" To bring in more taxes I assume. But why this way? It seems to me there are better things to tax than people paying to recreate.

2011 Orcas Island Results

The Orcas Island 50k and 25k results have been finalized, stay tuned for my race report.

Gorge Waterfalls 50k: only 60 spots left!

The brand new Gorge Waterfalls 50k is off to a great start! The registration for this first year race is filling up fast. In just over one month from when registration opened we've had 90 runners sign up. And now with just one month until race day(march 12) there are only 60 spots left!

To register go here to the databar events website

For more info go the Gorge Waterfalls 50k website

If you miss out on this race don't worry the rest of the year is full of other great Rainshadow Running races!