Iron Horse Half Marathon

The payoff is the return: after the turnaround, you get several miles of gradual downhill where you can really open up your stride, pick up the pace, and feel the wind at your back.

Why I Picked This Race

Washington has no shortage of scenic races, but Iron Horse stood out because of its trail setting, relatively gentle elevation profile, and proximity to Seattle.

It also fit perfectly into my larger goal of completing a half marathon in every U.S. state.

There was an additional bit of symmetry here: I flew from the Washington, D.C. area to Washington state to run it. 😄

I'd visited Seattle with my family the year before, but this was my first solo trip to the area — and this time the entire weekend revolved around running.

My Trip Costs

These were my approximate costs for the August 2026 trip.

My three paid charging sessions came to approximately $11.64 + $3.84 + $14.22.

Considering how much I drove between Maple Valley, North Bend, Snoqualmie and Seattle, the EV worked out surprisingly well.

Registration

I registered on July 17, 2026, paying approximately $120 including taxes and fees.

The earliest advertised pricing had been around $83, so registering months earlier would have saved me a decent amount. Oh well… my wallet will survive. 😆

If you already know you want to run Iron Horse, this is one of those races where I'd register sooner rather than waiting until race weekend.

Getting There

For most out-of-state runners, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the practical airport.

I flew nonstop on Alaska Airlines from Washington Dulles (IAD) on Friday morning, August 28, arriving around 9:30 AM Pacific.

I rented a Hyundai Kona EV at SeaTac and drove to my Airbnb in Maple Valley.

A rental car made the weekend substantially easier. The race itself is in North Bend, packet pickup was in Bellevue, I stayed in Maple Valley, and I also visited Snoqualmie and Seattle.

I would absolutely rent a car again.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at an Airbnb in Maple Valley rather than North Bend.

It wasn't glamorous — I rented a bedroom upstairs in an occupied house and shared the bathroom — but for a short race weekend it worked perfectly well.

Most importantly, it was reasonably priced, parking was free, and the host even let me plug the rental EV into a regular household outlet.

Level 1 (or L1) charging is painfully slow, so don't expect miracles, but free electricity is free electricity.

I spent relatively little time at the Airbnb anyway. Most of the weekend I was exploring, eating or driving somewhere.

Would I stay in Maple Valley again? Yes. ☑️

If your priority is maximum race-morning convenience, North Bend would obviously be better. If you're balancing the race with Seattle sightseeing and cheaper lodging, Maple Valley worked surprisingly well for me.

Friday: Arrival and First Meal

I left IAD around 7 AM without having much of a real breakfast, so by the time I collected my rental car, drove to Maple Valley and checked in around noon, I was running on fumes.

Masala Melody — Maple Valley

Snoqualmie Falls

Later Friday afternoon, I visited Snoqualmie Falls.

‹›

1 / 11

I did roughly 1.5 miles of walking/hiking with about 400 feet of elevation gain, which was probably more vertical than necessary two days before a half marathon — but absolutely worth doing.

This is one of the easiest attractions to recommend if you're already coming to North Bend.

I paid roughly $5–10 for parking. There were also reports of free parking across the road, so check your options before pulling into the first paid lot you see.

Shakeout Run: Lake Wilderness Park

My closest thing to a shakeout run came Friday evening at Lake Wilderness Park in Maple Valley.

‹›

1 / 3

Parts of the route were gravel, which accidentally made it a decent preview of what I'd encounter on race day.

My legs felt a little sore afterward, and between packet pickup and the rest of Saturday's logistics, I decided not to force another shakeout run the day before the race.

Saturday became a full rest day instead.

Honestly, that was probably the smarter decision.

Snoqualmie Ice Cream

After exploring the area Friday, I stopped at Snoqualmie Ice Cream.

Packet Pickup

Packet pickup was Saturday at REI Co-op Bellevue, from 11 AM–3 PM.

The store was at:

410 116th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

I parked & charged my EV in the Safeway-adjacent garage at:

300 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

Pickup itself was simple and well organized.

Race-morning pickup was also available near the shuttles and start area, but unless you absolutely have to, I wouldn't leave this for Sunday morning.

You already have enough logistics to deal with between parking, the shuttle and gear check.

Pick up your bib Saturday and eliminate one variable.

I also charged my rental EV at Electrify America in the parking garage outside Safeway while I was in the Bellevue area, which turned out to be extremely convenient. It was a 20-minute walk one way to the Packet Pickup at REI.

The downside: I accidentally charged my car to 100% here, as I had no app or way to limit my charge while I was MIA.

Saturday in Seattle

After packet pickup, I spent much of Saturday exploring Seattle.

Pike Place Market

Pike Place is touristy, obviously, but it's touristy for a reason.

‹›

1 / 5

Walk around. Eat something. Take some photos.

I had visited with my family the previous year, but this was my first time exploring Seattle solo.

And if you're visiting from Virginia, take the completely unnecessary photo in front of Virginia Inn.

I did.

Pre-Race Lunch: Pike Place Chowder

I stopped at Pike Place Chowder Saturday afternoon for a relatively light lunch.

That worked well the day before the race because I wanted something substantial enough to keep me fueled without turning lunch into an enormous meal.

Pre-Race Dinner: Brunello Ristorante

My actual carb-loading masterpiece came later Saturday at Brunello Ristorante in Seattle.

Pre-Race Dessert: Raindrop Creamery

Yes, I got ice cream after my pre-race pasta.

No, I have no regrets.

Race Morning

The race began Sunday, August 30, 2026.

For 2026, flooding from December 2025 forced organizers to modify the traditional course and start location.

That made understanding the parking and shuttle arrangement particularly important.

Wake Up

I woke up around 5:30 AM, if memory serves. I definitely mixed a Nuun tablet into some water before heading out. I don't clearly remember whether I ate anything that morning, so breakfast was minimal at best. I left Maple Valley around 6:00 AM, aiming to reach Meadowbrook Farm around 6:30. The drive was calm and uneventful.

Parking

There was no participant parking at the start.

Runners parked at Meadowbrook Farm, which also served as the finish area.

The parking field opened at 5:45 AM.

It's literally a field, and the organizers weren't kidding about it being uneven. Drive carefully.

Shuttle

Free shuttle buses transported runners from Meadowbrook Farm to the start.

They began running around 6:00 AM, with the final shuttle scheduled around 7:15 AM.

The ride itself was only around 10–12 minutes.

I boarded at roughly 6:40 AM, give or take a few minutes, and reached the start around 6:50.

That left me enough time, but not much excess time.

If I did it again, I'd probably arrive 15–20 minutes earlier.

Gear Check

Gear check was at the actual start rather than at the Meadowbrook shuttle pickup.

I used the clear bag I'd received at packet pickup and packed:

• shirt
• sandals/slippers
• phone
• car keys
• change of clothes

Because I race shirtless, I wore a shirt on the shuttle and then threw it in my gear bag before starting.

The gear truck transported everything back to the finish.

Simple and effective.

The Course

This is the most important thing to understand about the 2026 Iron Horse course:

It doesn't feel especially hilly — until it does.

My recorded course profile showed approximately:

• 545 ft elevation gain
• 642 ft elevation loss

The first several miles gradually climb.

We're not talking about giant hills or dramatic switchbacks. It's a former railroad corridor, so the gradient stays relatively gentle.

That's exactly what makes it deceptive.

A slight incline doesn't seem particularly difficult for one mile.

Keep doing it for several miles at half-marathon effort, though, and eventually you realize your legs are working harder than the scenery suggests.

It reminded me of doing a relatively easy exercise for far longer than expected: each individual repetition seems harmless, but eventually the cumulative fatigue catches up.

Then you turn around.

And suddenly the race becomes fun.

The second half trends gradually downhill, letting you steadily increase your pace without feeling like you're bombing down a steep descent.

I went from running closer to 7:00/mile early to hovering near 6:00/mile later.

My seventh mile was approximately 5:54.

That's where this course shines.

Official 2026 route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54744013

Surface and Shoes

Most of the race is on crushed gravel through wooded sections of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

I wore my bright-orange Hoka Mach 5s, which worked well.

I'd lean toward a lightweight road or light-trail shoe with dependable grip rather than making this the day you debut an expensive carbon-plated racer.

The gravel isn't technical trail terrain, but it's enough that footing and surface efficiency matter.

If you're accustomed exclusively to smooth pavement, expect the gravel to cost you at least a little energy.

Scenery

This isn't a spectator-heavy urban half marathon.

You're running through forest, along a former railroad corridor, with bridges and long stretches of Pacific Northwest greenery.

For me, that was part of the appeal.

The woods also provide considerable shade.

The funny part was that most of my "crowd support" actually came from other runners.

Because of the out-and-back configuration, I passed much of the field while running back toward the finish.

I probably said "good job" or gave a thumbs-up to at least ten people.

I even passed another shirtless runner and naturally gave him the shirtless-bro seal of approval.

Usually, when I'm racing hard, I'm pretty isolated. At a 6-something/mile pace, I'm not exactly carrying on conversations.

So getting encouragement from runners traveling in the opposite direction was unexpectedly fun.

Weather

Race morning was somewhere around the low-to-mid 50s°F, and conditions were about as good as I could reasonably ask for.

Cool.

Shaded.

Comfortable.

Prime shirtless weather.

I raced without a shirt and never felt overheated.

The final miles receive more direct sunlight than the wooded portions, but during my race the temperature stayed comfortable enough that heat wasn't a major factor.

Aid Stations & Hydration

Aid stations were positioned at approximately:

• Mile 1.6
• Mile 4.5
• Mile 8
• Mile 9.5
• Mile 11.5

Water and Tailwind were available, with GU gels at aid stations as well.

Iron Horse is a cupless race, and runners are expected to carry their own hydration container.

I knew this.

Naturally, I forgot mine.

I therefore took the extremely sophisticated hydration strategy of stopping at exactly zero aid stations and continuing to run.

I do not recommend copying that merely because it happened to work for me in cool weather.

Bring the cup.

The course is shaded enough that conditions were forgiving on my day, but that's not something I'd rely on every year.

My Race

And yes:

Shirtless.

My plan was essentially to stay controlled while climbing and then take advantage of the downhill return.

That worked.

Once the course turned downhill, my pace started dropping toward six-minute miles.

Mile 7 came in around 5:54.

The second half felt fast.

Not fast enough to catch the four people ahead of me, apparently, but fast.

Finishing fifth overall and winning my age group made this one of the better results of my 50-state journey so far.

And since this was my final year in the M30-34 age group, I'll take it.

The winner was 38 and ran ~1:17, which was blazing fast. Honestly, salute to bro. 😆 It also made me feel better about getting older — I’m 34, and lately I’ve sometimes felt like I need to rush through this whole 50-state mission. Seeing someone a few years older absolutely fly through and demolish the course was a good reminder that I probably still have plenty of strong racing years ahead. Maybe I can chillax a bit, kick back in le proverbial La-Z-Boy, enjoy the journey, and keep getting speedier along the way.

The Finish

The race finishes back near Meadowbrook Farm, which makes the shuttle arrangement much more convenient than it initially sounds.

Once you finish, you're already back where your car is parked.

No return shuttle needed.

I collected my gear and spent some time around the finish area talking with other runners.

There were plenty of post-race snacks, including bananas, oranges and assorted sweeter snacks.

I helped myself.

After 13.1 miles, fruit becomes remarkably exciting.

Post-Race Brunch: South Fork

My first stop after the race was South Fork in North Bend.

Rattlesnake Lake

Later Sunday, I visited Rattlesnake Lake Recreation Area.

‹›

1 / 8

This is another easy North Bend-area add-on and makes sense after the race if your legs can tolerate some walking.

I didn't do a serious hike — mostly walked around the lake and enjoyed the scenery.

One practical warning:

My cellular service disappeared out there.

Download anything you need before arriving and don't assume you'll have a reliable signal.

Post-Race Dinner: Spinasse

Sunday evening I drove back into Seattle for Spinasse.

Kerry Park Detour

While waiting for my Spinasse table, I drove to Kerry Park.

‹›

1 / 4

It's an easy sightseeing stop with a classic view toward the Seattle skyline.

You don't need a colossal block of time here.

For me, it worked perfectly as a "what can I do for 30 minutes while waiting for dinner?" attraction. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a better idea than sitting around twiddling my thumbs. 🤯

Shortly after, I received a text that my table was ready, so I proceeded to drive about a half-hour back to the Capitol Hill area and got bar seating in Spinasse around 7:30. As it dawned on me that this would be my last meal before hitting the bed, I ordered two half portions of pasta.

Tajarin con burro e salvia — $20

Fine hand-cut egg-yolk pasta with butter and sage.

Good.

Rich.

Very well made.

Dish rating: about 3.5/5.

Cavatelli al ragù di costolette — $24

Cavatelli with short-rib ragù and marinated cherry tomatoes.

Guys.

This was ridiculous.

The short-rib ragù was incredibly rich and flavorful, while the cavatelli had this soft, chewy texture that paired perfectly with it.

This might genuinely be one of the best pasta dishes I've ever eaten.

The meal also became unexpectedly social. I talked with another guy at the bar who had recently completed a triathlon and chatted with a woman whose birthday was the following day.

Eating solo doesn't always have to mean eating silently.

If I return, I'm ordering the cavatelli again.

Recovery Run: Green Lake

Monday evening — one day after the race — I visited Green Lake Park.

This is probably my favorite running recommendation from the entire Seattle portion of the trip.

There were runners, walkers and cyclists everywhere, and the route loops directly around the lake.

Naturally, my definition of a recovery run became a completely reasonable:

10K at 7:11/mile.

Shirtless, obviously.

Perhaps do not use me as your recovery-run training template.

But absolutely consider Green Lake if you're staying in Seattle and want somewhere easy and scenic to run.

Georgetown

I also spent some time around Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood Monday and ate a late lunch/early dinner at Ciudad.

It's worth exploring if you have extra time and want something outside the most obvious tourist areas.

I wouldn't prioritize it over Snoqualmie Falls, Pike Place or Green Lake on a short race weekend, but it was a nice final stop before heading to the airport.

What Surprised Me

The uphill mattered more than I expected

I'd read about the elevation profile, but I underestimated how much several miles of gentle climbing would accumulate.

Nothing about the course feels dramatically steep.

That's almost the problem.

You don't necessarily realize how much energy you're spending until you've been doing it for miles.

The downhill return was excellent

The flip side is that the descent is similarly gradual.

You're not hammering your quads down a mountain.

You simply start realizing that your normal race pace suddenly feels easier.

That's an extremely fun way to finish a half marathon.

The EV infrastructure was better than I expected

I'm used to driving a Tesla, so renting a Hyundai Kona gave me some initial range anxiety.

Then I discovered Electrify America.

Problem largely solved.

Think of it as the non-Tesla equivalent of the Supercharger experience.

One charger wasn't working, and I had to wait a few minutes for another stall, but overall the system worked well.

Between public fast charging and occasional free Level 1 charging at my Airbnb, the entire trip cost me less than $30 in electricity despite quite a bit of driving.

Things I'd Do Differently

Arrive earlier on race morning

I made my shuttle and reached the start with enough time to check my gear, but I was closer to the race start than I'd prefer.

Next time I'd give myself another 15–20 minutes.

Remember the hydration cup

This one is self-explanatory.

Cupless race.

Bring cup.

Ritvik forgot cup.

Don't be Ritvik.

Understand the elevation profile beforehand

I'd still run the opening miles conservatively, but I'd mentally prepare for the fact that the first several miles are a sustained climb rather than treating the course as basically flat.

Reserve Spinasse

Absolutely no reason to gamble on a weekend walk-in when you already know you want to eat there.

Avoid the overnight flight home

My return flight left SeaTac at roughly 9:30 PM Monday and landed at IAD around 6 AM Eastern Tuesday.

I barely slept.

I got home, crashed for a few hours and recovered, but it wasn't exactly an elegant end to the trip.

If you're taking an overnight flight, bring a proper travel pillow and something warm — or just book a daytime flight if your schedule permits.

Who Should Run Iron Horse?

Run it if you:

• want a scenic Washington destination race
• prefer smaller races over giant city events
• enjoy rail trails and crushed-gravel surfaces
• like cooler race conditions
• don't mind several miles of gradual climbing
• want a second half where you can progressively accelerate
• are combining a race with Seattle and Cascade sightseeing

Think twice if you:

• strongly prefer asphalt
• need constant spectator support
• dislike shuttle-to-start races
• expect a perfectly flat course
• want a massive expo or big-city race atmosphere

This isn't a flashy race.

That's part of what makes it good.

Things to Do on an Iron Horse Race Weekend

If I were rebuilding my itinerary, I'd prioritize:

1. Snoqualmie Falls — easiest must-do near the race
2. Rattlesnake Lake — particularly after the race if you're keeping activity light
3. Pike Place Market — obvious, touristy, still worthwhile
4. Green Lake — best Seattle running stop from my trip
5. Kerry Park — quick skyline view
6. Seattle food — arguably an attraction unto itself

The Space Needle is another obvious option if you've never visited. I skipped it on this trip because I'd already gone the previous year.

Race Weekend Food Rankings

For a race-weekend dinner, Brunello gets my pre-race vote.

For the best thing I ate all weekend, Spinasse's short-rib cavatelli wins.

Final Verdict

Overall: 4/5 ⭐

Would I travel for Iron Horse?

Yes.

It's especially compelling if Washington is part of a 50-state goal or you want to combine a race with a long weekend exploring Seattle and the Cascade foothills.

The race itself is straightforward but memorable: crushed gravel through the woods, cool weather, a gradual uphill grind on the way out and a long downhill return where you can finally let your legs go.

I ran 1:23:55, finished 5th overall, won my age group (AG) and checked off state 19 of 51.

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning in Washington.

And yes, I'd run it shirtless again.