PENINSULA ADVENTURE SPORTS: Registration for Big Hurt opens; prices increase September 1st

PORT ANGELES – Athletes must register by Monday to take advantage of lower prices for the Big Hurt.

The Big Hurt, hosted by Peninsula Adventure Sports with title sponsor Sound Bikes and Kayaks, is a multi-discipline endurance race for Ironman athletes and teams that combines mountain biking, kayaking, road cycling and running. The race will take place on September 28 in and around Port Angeles.

The registration fee is $95 for an individual competing in the Iron Division and $70 per person if part of a team. For a high school team, the fee is $35 per person.

After Monday, the cost increases to $100 for an individual Ironman, $75 per person for a team, and $40 per person for a high school team.

This year the number of participants is limited to 75 teams of two, three and four and 75 Ironman athletes.

Also, Monday is the deadline for a Big Hurt t-shirt. If people sign up after Monday, they are not guaranteed a t-shirt in their size, or any shirt at all. The t-shirt was designed by Port Angeles artist Rachel Ruth McElhose.

The Big Hurt is a 15-mile mountain bike stage that begins in the foothills above Port Angeles and descends 10 miles on trails and forest roads and five miles on roads to the race center at Port Angeles Harbor.

Next up is a 2.6 mile kayak leg of Port Angeles Harbor to the old Rayonier Mill site and back.

No paddleboards are allowed this year. There are also a number of other kayak requirements that participants can find at www.tinyurl.com/kayakrequirements.

This is followed by a 30-mile road bike leg west of Port Angeles, across the Elwha River and into Freshwater Bay, also reaching the lower parts of Kelly Ridge on Dan Kelly and Eden Valley Roads.

Cyclists return to Port Angeles and the final leg is a 10K out-and-back run east along the waterfront and Olympic Discovery Trail.

The event starts at 9am. There will be a beer garden hosted by 4PA and music from the Grave Dashers. There will be an awards ceremony with medals for several categories. There are also Big Hurt Podcasts on Spotify, Apple and Amazon.

To register for Big Hurt, visit www.tinyurl.com/BigHurtRegister.

Registration is also open for Little Hurt on September 29, which this year includes a running and cycling competition for preschool and kindergarten-aged children.

In the first through eighth grade categories, the Little Hurt consists of three legs – cycling (children can use any non-electric bike), rowing on rowing machines provided by the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association, and trail running in the woods behind the Peninsula College campus. Each participant completes all legs – there is no relay option in Little Hurt.

In the K/Pre-K (ages 3-5) categories, children will only ride and run bikes (no rowing machines) and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian the entire time. This is a very short event designed for fun only and to introduce children to the joys of biking, running and racing with friends.

Cost is $15 for first through eighth grade categories and $5 for K/Pre-K. Registration is available online at www.tinyurl.com/LittleHurtRegister.

Peninsula Adventure Sports offers a variety of endurance events throughout the year including the Frosty Moss Relay, Gravel Unravel, Olympic Adventure Trail and the upcoming Great Olympic Adventure Trail Half Marathon, Marathon and 50k Run on September 7th.

Although the GOAT Half Marathon is already sold out, there are still spots available for the marathon and 50K run. Registration is open online at www.tinyurl.com/GOATrunregistration until September 6th.

Also in the fall, Peninsula Adventure Sports will host the Salt Creek 24, a 24-hour race at the Salt Creek Recreation Area on October 26 and 27.