1st leg   (7.3 miles)

The relay teams travel the same route as the marathon. The first leg takes off through the city of Spokane and then beautiful Browne’s Addition.  Just past 2 miles into the leg, there is a nice gentle downhill run.  However, what goes down usually goes up.  And it is true in this case too.  The first leg goes up a hill just past mile 3. Then it is a great flat/slightly downhill run past the Life Center church and the River Run neighborhood.  Then about 5 miles into the leg, the runners pass through the military cemetery and turn right on the Centennial Trail.  And they get to enjoy another downhill mile with a great vista of the Spokane River far below on the left.   As was true before, what goes down usually goes up.  In the last mile of this leg, there is a challenging hill that takes the runners into the back side of SFCC.  At the top of the hill, there is only another ½ mile (or so) of the leg until the exchange.  There is a good long stretch there where your teammate can see you coming—so be sure and run tall and look good, as if you haven’t even worked hard.  And hand off with a smile.

Relay Exchange Zone #1:

The hand off takes place in the parking lot right next to the SFCC track.

2nd leg   (7.0 miles)

The second runners head out the SFCC parking lot to Ft. Wright Dr.  And then after a block, they head into the historic Ft. Wright Mukogawa Campus.  After about a mile,  they pass through the military cemetery and head out toward Riverside State Park on the Centennial Trail.  This is a secluded trail with several rolling hills (you wouldn’t want leg 1 to have all the fun would you?) The best hill comes between mile 2 and 2.5 of this leg.    And what goes up usually eventually goes down.  And you get to experience that.  First you will have a steep downhill to get to fly down. Then the rest of your leg is essentially downhill (you are going downriver)  Like the first leg, there is a long straight away where your partner can see you coming, so look good and smile!

Relay Exchange Zone #2:

The hand off takes place when the course turns from Riverside Park Drive to 7-Mile Road (just before the 7-Mile bridge)

3rd Leg (6.4 miles)

The runners on this leg get to cross the Spokane River and then turn right and head back towards downtown.  You are now going up river, so guess what!  Yep, this leg has some “grinders”  (uphills that you barely notice except they are a little harder than you think they should be).  But, oh it is beautiful out here!  And, if you aren’t the type to notice that?  There may now be marathoners that you are catching along the way.  Just be sure to say a word or two of encouragement as you pass them.  They are between miles 14 and 20 of their journey.  Next year that might be you!  This leg follows the river all the way to the relay exchange. Like the other two legs, there is a long straight away where your partner can see you coming, so look good and smile!

Relay Exchange Zone #3:

This takes place right by Downriver Golf Course Where the roads W. Downriver Park Dr. and N Riverside Park Dr. meet in a Y  (the internet maps say that for the street name, but the sign out there says Aubrey L White Drive).

4th leg (5.5 miles)

The runners on this leg get to run about a 1.5 mile warm up before they meet Doomsday Hill.   However, this will not be any tougher than any of the hills on the other legs.  The only difference is this hill has a name.  At the top of the hill it is a flat run through the West Central neighborhood and Kendall Yards. About the 5-mile mark of this leg, you will meet another hill, much smaller than Doomsday. However, you are farther into your run, and therefore it might feel like it should have a name also.  Once you turn onto Mallon and pass in front of the Flour Mill, it is all flat, and you get to run into the glorious finish line over the Spokane River!  Again like all the other hand offs, there is a long straight away where everyone can see you coming, so look good and smile!