The Jackass Half Marathon & 5k in North Idaho’s Silver Valley is set for October 2, 2021. After a hugely successful first year, and amid ever-changing local and state health guidelines, the Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce is planning an even bigger and better event than last year.
Half Marathon & 5K Courses on the Paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
Co-Sponsored by Verdis Engineering and Local Real Estate, the route is a point-to-point with twists and turns along the paved, award-winning Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Starting in historic Wallace, Idaho, runners traverse the main corridor of the Silver Valley, through mountainous scenery and along the banks of the Coeur d’Alene River. The route is dotted with quaint valley towns where volunteers and aid stations are dressed to the nines and motivational posters and inspirational chalk messages are found every few feet. It is mostly a downhill race, except for two short hills at mile 10 and mile 12. The last climb hoists runners up into the small ski-town of Kellogg where the anticipation and excitement builds from the east end of town all the way up to the historic Uptown finish line just outside of Radio Brewing Company.
At the finish line, runners are greeted with some of the best swag in the West—custom t-shirts (choose your own color and style), a Jackass Beer from Radio Brewing, and a handmade medal from the local shop class at Kellogg High School. This year, the event will join forces with Radio Brewing for a grand afterparty which will host live music and local microbrews. It will definitely be an all-weekend event to plan your schedule around.
A Silver Valley Community Event
The idea for the race emerged in early 2019 when members of the Silver Valley Chamber recognized the need for a larger organized running event in the area. Yes, there were plenty of races in the Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, and Missoula areas, but nothing that highlighted the stunning scenery and wild spaces of the rapidly-growing Silver Valley. With a humble goal of only 60 runners and a name that harked back to the historical discovery of Kellogg and its rich roots in mining, the JHM committee set off to have a first-year race. However, the planning was met with massive challenges as COVID regulations swept local and state mandates.
With the help of Negative Split Timing, local businesses’ sponsorship, and over 100 energetic volunteers, the event successfully hosted more than 370 racers from all over the country in an extremely safe system featuring intermittent rolling start times and no crowds at the start and finish lines. It was one of the only races to take place live in the second half of 2020 in the Inland Northwest.
A lot of hype already surrounds the Second Annual Jackass Half Marathon & 5k for October 2, 2021, including the addition of a kids’ half marathon, the afterparty, and even more community and business support.
Read how Inland NW races have been safely adapting during the pandemic in this Out There Outdoors article.
(Sponsored Content)
