Epic Relays

Where we come from
Growing up in Lake Oswego, OR running a 24 hour relay was like breathing- everybody did it. We participated in our first Hood to Coast relay at age 14 and caught the fire. The running, the teams, the costumes, the deliriousness, the achievement- you name it we were hooked. Attending high school and college together we dreamed of doing something meaningful that could align our passions- promoting and fostering good health and overall wellness, exposure to the outdoors and people building. All of this came full circle when we decided to take the fire we caught at age 14 and bring relay races to other parts of the country.

History behind the name
It rains a lot in the Pacific Northwest. Two inevitable things come of the rain: 1) everything is green, growing and beautiful and 2) when it’s not raining it’s like Christmas. On those clear days when the sun is shining it’s arguably the most beautiful place on earth. In high school we labeled these blessed days “epic”. On these rare days we’d drive up Country Club Rd towards the Home of the Lakers and say, it is an epic day, too epic to be in school- so we’d drive to the beach or the mountains to enjoy the epicness (much to our parent’s and teacher’s chagrin but don’t worry we graduated from high school and college). When coming up with a name for our relay series we wanted one word that captured “the best possible” and were reminded of those high school days where the best possible was simply epic.

Epic Oregon Prelay – Portland to Eugene, OR
The above paragraphs probably lend some insight to the origin of this relay. Connecting our home town of Portland, OR (metro) to Eugene, OR, Track Town USA in a relay was simply about linking favorites and paying tribute to one of our most solemnized heroes. Pre did as much or more for running in the US as any other person ever. Along with Nike (Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight), Bowerman as Oregon’s track coach and Eugene’s running chairman and other notable runners at Oregon the jogging boom in the US was born and the stage was set for what we see today. Set in the summer (an epic time in Oregon) this relay combines Oregon beauty with an unparalleled running history that equals an Epic Relay. We thank ODOT, Oregon Parks and Rec and all the individual municipalities that let this relay happen.

Epic Cache-Teton Relay – Logan, UT to Jackson Hole (Teton Village), WY
This relay was really a no-brainer. Four national forests, lakes, rivers, reservoirs and a serenity that only comes with being in the middle on nowhere- not to mention an epic finish at the foot of the Teton Mountains. We actually fell in love with this course during college on winter ski trips to Jackson Hole where it’s “steep and deep” and not cold but damn cold. Of course there’s a different but equal beauty in the summer and after our first backpacking trip through the Tetons our mind was made up, an Epic Relay was born. We thank UDOT, ITD, WYDOT, Caribou and Teton National Forests and the individual municipalities that let this relay happen.

Why we’re different
While making sure we provide all the traditional elements that make a team relay great we focus on some additional things that make us Epic. Hassle is one thing you shouldn’t experience as you run 200 miles over 24 hours. We have committed to growing our relays at a rate that will allow teams to enjoy low traffic courses, less crowded exchanges and the ability to give appropriate attention to every single team. We put safety first and will be using GPS technology to track every team on the course. If you make a wrong turn or have trouble we’ll know it. This will also allow friends and family at home to track their team’s progress during the relay. We recognize the value we offer but also recognize people can’t afford to pay a fortune to enjoy this experience, especially right now. Our price is lower than our competitors which gives you the best experience at the lowest price. Sound epic? Trust us, it is.

Happy running and as always make it an epic day!