Description
Sucia is known as the jewel of the San Juan Islands. It’s home to tide pools aplenty, remote beaches, abundant sea life, and sunsets that defy description. Complete the trip with delicious meals, a quiver of paddle boards and kayaks, and some stunning island running thrown in for good measure…it’s guaranteed to be incredible.
Trails
Sucia is a small island with a network of 10 miles of trails that extend to each of the islands three rocky fingers. While this isn’t a lot trail, given the out-n-back style of the terrain one can easily rack up 15-20 miles exploring every trail on the island. With little elevation gain, the most challenging aspect of a run on Sucia is to keep moving, which is hard to do given the many distractions of tidepools, abundant wildlife, epic views of surrounding islands and Mt. Baker, and trails that lead to some of the most beautiful beaches imaginable. For this trip, Aspire will provide a quiver of paddle boards that will be available all weekend for exploring the shores and surrounding rocky shoals of Sucia.
Food
Our food philosophy at Aspire is that the best meals of our lives should happen outdoors and be shared with friends after a long day on the trail. To that end, we serve delicious seasonal fare, such as grilled salmon, fresh salads, dutch oven cobblers and hand churned ice cream. We keep our coolers stocked with beer, wine, kombucha, and an assortment of recovery beverages. In addition to standard meat and vegetarian options with each meal, we work with individual runners to ensure that our menus meet a wide range of dietary needs and preferences.
Accomodations
Our Sucia basecamp will be staged out of the Shallow Bay group campground and group shelter. Aspire will provide a lively camp amenities for a remote but comfortable “glamp” style experience.
Transportation
No public ferries service Sucia Island. Aspire has chartered a private water taxi that will transport runners and equipment between Anacortes and Sucia Island.
Course Overview
Friday, Day 1: Boat Taxi to Sucia
We’ll meet on Friday afternoon at Skyline Marina in Anacortes WA. We charter a private water taxi that is a direct sail to Sucia Island. We unload on the beach and set up our group camp which will be the epicenter for the weekend. Aspire will serve dinner, libations, and stoke the bonfire.
Saturday, Day 2: 5-20 Miles of Trail Running + Paddle Sports
Sucia is a small island with a network of 15 miles of trails that extend to each of the island’s three rocky fingers. While this isn’t a lot of trail, given the out-and-back style of the terrain, one can easily rack up 15-20 miles exploring every corner of the island. With little elevation gain, the most challenging aspect of running on Sucia is the many distractions of tide pools, abundant wildlife, epic views of surrounding islands, and trails that lead to some of the most beautiful beaches imaginable. We’ll have a couple of paddle boards that will be available all weekend for exploring the shores and shoals of Sucia.
Sunday, Day 3: Morning Run/Paddle, Boat Taxi Home
After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a long morning of runs, paddles, and beach time before eating lunch and breaking camp. Our return cruise is tide dependent, but we generally plan to leave the island mid-afternoon for an early evning arrival back in Anacortes.
Gear
Running Gear
Each runner should come equipped with a personal running pack/vest/belt and hydration system. Folks are welcome to bring snacks they are accustomed to for their runs.
Kayak/Water Gear
We encourage all runners to bring a swimsuit, appropriate sandals or other footwear and plenty of sunscreen.
Camping Gear
This course includes 2 nights of camping. Runners should pack a selection of camp clothing including an insulative jacket, a wind/water resistant outer layer, sandals, and camp shoes. Runners will also need a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. This equipment is available for rent with registration.
Trip Insurance
Every year we have at least one runner who, due to injury, illness, or personal/familial circumstances, cannot participate in his or her registered trip. While registrations can be transferred, Aspire does not issue refunds. See our FAQ's. We strongly encourage each runner to purchase 3rd party trip insurance that will reimburse the cost of registration in the event that he or she is unable to participate in the event.
About Aspire
Aspire organizes single and multi-day running adventures in backcountry and wilderness terrain. We pair logistical and emergency support with delicious meals for a unique and memorable running experience. More info about our project is available at: www.AspireAdventureRunning.com
Event's current local time: 6:10 PM PT
