Race to Robie Creek Registration Opens Monday

"The Toughest Race in the Northwest" is back for it's 42nd year! Get your laptops, smartphones and tablets ready! Registration begins soon!

The race began as the "Idaho Summer Road Racing Championships" and had just 25 participants. The race took runners from Fort Boise, up Reserve Street to Shaw Mountain Road and then climbed up through Rocky Canyon, over Aldape Summit to a finish at Robie Creek campground at Lucky Peak. The half marathon course included 2,072 feet up elevation gain.

Now, the half marathon has grown into a right of passage for Treasure Valley runners and will take place on April 20, 2019 at High Noon! This year's race theme hasn't been announced yet, but that's not stopping questionably sane runners from getting excited about trying to secure a spot in the race. In 2018, the 2,341 spots sold out in 30 minutes so if you're hoping to get in this year, have your credit card out and be ready to sign-up HERE at 12 p.m. MT on Monday, February 18! There are an additional 101 entries available this year.

Rather than doing for second chance lottery drawing for additional spots in the race, the Rocky Canyon Sail Toads, who put on the race, are bringing back the first-come, first serve wait list that they rolled out last year.  If someone withdraws from the race they can choose to give their race bib to the next man (or woman) up on that wait list. If you've been added from the wait list, you have two days to finish your registration before your bib is released to someone else.

My Robie Journey

I told myself that I would NEVER put myself through this race. I told myself that I rather run 26.2 miles again on nice, flat pavement...but peer pressure is a hell of a drug.  So many of my friends from Team Run Boise were talking about doing the race in 2017 and my fear of missing out reached an all time high.  At the last second, I decided to go for it and try to get into the race. When registration day came around I had three computers open in front of me and my fiance sitting on a fourth at home.

It didn't hit me until I printed out my confirmation receipt that I had really gotten in! In fact, I was so quick hitting the buttons at noon that day that I ended up being bib #2 at the race.  My teammate Kira wasn't far behind.  She clicked fast too and locked down bib #3!

From February to April, I was panicked that I hadn't put in enough hill work and that the race was going to eat me alive.  I've run hundreds of races, but was never as scared standing on a starting line as I was at Robie.  Once the pre-race skit was over and the gun went off, those nerves melted away.  Robie was honestly the most fun I've ever had in a half marathon and if it weren't the week after my full marathon this year, I would be signing up again!

Don't let your nerves make you miss out on one of the most awesome experiences you can possibly have in Boise.  If you're thinking about it, do it! You won't regret it!