The Owyhee Off-Road Challenge marks the first big running event in the Treasure Valley as runners will take on this challenge on Saturday, March 23.
"It is so well named, it is definitely a challenging run with a lot of elevation changes," said Nickie Shira, the race director. "It gets runners off of the road and out in the beauty of the Owyhees with the Snake River Valley on one side and the Owyhee River Valley on the other."
Runners have options from a 5k, a 10k, a half marathon, and an ultra 55k run. Registration is available until March 21 and if you run this race you will receive that small town hospitality and a fun atmosphere on race day.
"We have the best volunteers," said Shira. "Our community comes out in full force to support this effort and it’s all to support a wonderful cause."
The Owyhee Off-Road Challenge started nine years ago when Nickie's twin sons led the Adrian Track and Field team to multiple state championships, now her son Reagan coaches the team.
But something was missing, Adrian didn't have their own track so they had to bus kids over to Idaho for practice. However, the Owyhee Off-Road Challenge raised $135,000 towards a new track that the school district paid for and finished building in the fall.
"We would run out on field roads and out on the actual road on the asphalt," said Presley Speelmon, a senior on the team. "Last year because we didn’t have a track and didn’t even have the dirt track the sprinters spent our whole season in the gym."
Adrian has won the last two boys' track and field state championships while the girls finished as the runner-up in each of the past two seasons.
"It’s super exciting to have this everybody put a piece of effort into getting this track so it is cool to see the outcome after a couple years of running the Owyhee Off-Road Challenge," said Speelmon, who loves to run. "I like how if you put in the work you get the outcome."
This year the proceeds from the Owyhee Off-Road Challenge will go towards new equipment for the track. February 29 is the last day for pre-registration where racers can save ten bucks on their entry fee.
