Bitterroot Runoff Trail Runs | April 21st, 2024

Kick off trail racing season in Montana with the Bitterroot Runoff Trail Runs!

With 5k, 5 Mile, & 10 Mile courses, there are options for beginners and seasoned veterans alike.  All three courses follow private single & doubletrack trails outside of Lolo, Montana.  After the race, runners will be treated to a homemade brunch and a Big Sky Brewery beverage.

We are working hard to create a festival experience for our Runoff runners this year and we are so excited to have multiple vendors and partners joining us on race day to engage with our runners, demo products, and contribute to our raffle!

Registration & Pricing: 

1.30.24 – 3.15.24

  • 5k: $35 – SOLD OUT
  • 5 Mile: $40
  • 10 Mile: $50

3.16.24 – 4.14.24

  • 5k: $40 – SOLD OUT
  • 5 Mile: $45
  • 10 Mile: $55

4.15.24 – 4.21.24 (Race Day)

  • 5k: $45 – SOLD OUT
  • 5 Mile: $50
  • 10 Mile: $60

Runners Receive:

  • 2024 Finisher’s Award
  • Post-Race brunch of pancakes, sausage, & fruit (we will have gluten free pancake & vegetarian sausage options)
  • Hammer Nutrition products at our Aid Station
  • 2024 Bitterroot Runoff T-Shirt
  • Free Post-Race Massage from Sapphire Physical Therapy
  • Big Sky Brewing Co. post race beverage
  • Post-race trail festival with vendors, shoe demos, and raffle
  • The perfect start to kick off trail racing season in Western Montana!

Last year’s Bitterroot Runoff shirt (women’s on left, men’s on right)


Schedule:

Saturday (4.20.24):

  • 12:00pm – 5:00pm: Packet pick up in the Runner’s Edge basement

Sunday (4.21.24):

  • 7:00am – 8:50am: Race day packet pick up and race day registration
  • 8:00am: 5k Start
  • 8:30am: 5 Mile Start
  • 9:00am: 10 Mile Start
  • 8:00am – 12:30pm: Bitterroot Runoff trail fest with shoe demos and vendors
  • 8:30am – 12:30pm: Post race pancake breakfast
  • 9:30am: 5k Awards Ceremony
  • 10:30am: 5 Mile Awards Ceremony
  • 11:30am: 10 Mile Awards Ceremony

*We start the shorter events first to limit congestion on the course.  

Awards:

  • Awards will be given to the top 3 male and female overall as well as to the top male and female in each age group.
  • Our age groups are: 0-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+.
  • Overall awards will be based on gun time, age group awards will be based on chip time.

Aid Stations

For the 10 Mile race, runners will pass by the same aid station at miles 2 and 6.5.  Runners in the 5 Mile race will have one aid station at mile 2.  There will be no aid station for the 5k.

See the map below for aid station location.

Aid stations will provide:

Courses

10 Mile Course | 2,025 feet of Climbing

The 10 mile route follows double and singletrack trail, climbing for 2 miles up to the first aid station through open ponderosa pine forest.  After the aid station, the grade lessens before runners join up with “The Viking” trail, which leads to the highpoint of the course at mile marker 4.  From the highpoint, the route descends back to the aid station (mile 6.5), allowing runners a second chance for water and food before the final push to the finish.

5 Mile Course | 1,000 feet of Climbing

The 5 mile course will climb the first 2.5 miles on both double and singletrack trail, reaching an aid station at mile marker 2. After the aid station, runners will take a right hand turn and begin the descent back to the finishing area.  The course winds down the “Owl Alley” singletrack section before popping out of the trees and into the finishing meadow.

5k Course | 500 feet of Climbing

The 5k route follows doubletrack road and a singletrack trail along both the 5 mile and 10 mile courses for the first mile.  The 5k course then takes a right turn onto a flatter section of doubletrack before rejoining the 5 mile and 10 mile courses for the final mile of singletrack trail to the finish line.  Most of the climbing for the 5k is in the first mile of the race.

Course Maps

To view the map, click ‘Load Bitterroot Runoff 5k, 5 Mile & 10 Mile.’ To toggle between the distances, select the course distance from the upper left hand corner of the map.

Location:

This event is located on the Rossignol Ranch just west of Lolo, MT.  Click here for a map showing the parking area and start/finish line of the race.

Directions to start line from Missoula:

  • Head south on HWY 93.
  • At the first stoplight in Lolo, take a right onto Ridgeway Drive.
  • Quickly take your first right onto Coulter Pine St.
  • Follow along Coulter Pine for six-tenths of a mile, then turn right onto Bristle Cone Pine.
  • You will head through a gate and into a field where parking and the start-finish area of the races are located.

Parking is limited, please carpool if you can!

Raffle:

We are working hard to create a festival experience for our Runoff Runners this year and we are so excited to have over a dozen vendors and partners joining us on race day to engage with our runners, demo products, and contribute to our BIG Runoff Raffle.

We have A LOT of great prizes, including free pairs of shoes, socks, sunglasses, hats, hydration, and nutrition goodies.  The raffle will be held directly after the 10 Mile Awards Ceremony at 11:30 AM

How to get raffle tickets?  Each vendor will be giving out tickets at their tent. The more vendors you visit, and products you demo, the more tickets you will have in the pot for the raffle. It’s that simple!

Lastly, while we would love for you to stick around for the raffle, you do not need to be present to win.

Volunteers

We are always looking for volunteers to help out at our races! Whether it is with parking, packet pick up, or working an aid station, there are a wide variety of roles which you can be a part of.  Thank you for taking the time to make our events possible–we are forever grateful to our volunteers!

Sign up to volunteer here.

Volunteers will receive:

  • $15 Runner’s Edge gift card
  • Bitterroot Runoff t-shirt
  • Post race brunch

Bitterroot Runoff Training Run:

Interested in previewing the course before race week? Look no further than our Training Run the week before the Bitterroot Runoff! We’ll have the 5k and 5 mile courses marked and you can run them at any pace you would like.  Plan on meeting at the Bitterroot Runoff Base Area at 9:00AM, with the run starting at 9:15.  Click here for directions to the venue from Missoula. The training run will be free of charge, however please sign up so we can have a headcount.

Results:

Questions?

Email anders@runnersedgemt.com 

Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support of this event!

“The racecourse and the surrounding scenery are absolutely gorgeous. What privilege to enjoy this amazing Montana landscape while enjoying the benefits of an extremely well-managed event.”

Jill5 Mile Finisher

“Bitterroot Runoff is a great way to get the trail running season started. The course is fast yet challenging, and on a good year, you might even get to see a few elk out there.”

Nico10 Mile Finisher

“Another top-notch Runner’s Edge event! I ran the 9.7-mile course and it was a great combination of tough climbs and fun descents.  From the supportive volunteers to the generous after race brunch, every detail was thought of.  I am looking forward to running this race again.”

Danelle10 Mile Finisher
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