The Details:

The tournament will start w/ 64 runners in Round 1, and each participant will be randomly paired in the bracket on Selection Sunday March 15, 2026 (Live on Zoom via a random number generator) to go head-to-head on a route (unveiled to you on your local trails). The runners will NOT actually race side by side (unless they want to?!), but will have from March 19th through March 20th to log their fastest time on the route/segment (see schedule below). Each person must use a GPS watch, or phone app, & upload via Strava. The route will be a segment, so it will automatically place you on a leaderboard. Fastest time moves on to the next round! You might be thinking, "I'm not that fast!" That's ok! If you think about the college basketball tournament, every year there are teams that "aren't predicted" to do well moving on, captivating the audience. That's the magic of it all! Your opponent could get sick, miss a turn, could be slightly injured, could have a more important obligation that gets in the way of the tourney, etc. etc., and then all of the sudden you are moving on! The route for Round 1 will be revealed, and emailed to you on March 18, 2026. Each round the route will get more difficult, and the route will be revealed the day before the next round begins.

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What does my entry fee include?

‍Your $49 (+shipping) entry fee includes a goodie bag w/a pair of Wy'east Wolfpack socks, Electrolytes, Holographic sticker to be mailed to your home, and a chance to win more great prizes! More importantly, we will be making a donation to the the organization that maintains those very trails you'll be running on, and your entry will contribute to that!

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Overall Winner of the tournament receives $200 cash, entry to Go Beyond Racing Stumptown Half Marathon or 50k in Portland, Oregon, or Daybreak Racing Wy'east TrailFest (distance of choice) at Mt. Hood, Oregon, & Columbia Sportswear (Montrail) Shoes

Runner up will receive $100 cash, Wy'east Wolfpack Athletic Trucker Hat, Columbia/Montrail Shorts

*Bonus Chance: If you get knocked out of the tournament and still complete all of the routes, you will be entered into random drawing to win more great prizes! This is a great way to stay engaged as we bust into the spring season!

Schedule:

Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 15 (LIVE ON ZOOM)

First round: March 19-20

Second round: March 21-22

Sweet 16: March 26-27

Elite Eight: March 28-29

Final Four: Saturday, April 4

Championship: Monday, April 6

Let's #GETAFTERIT!!!

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FAQ:

Question: What if both runners in the first round are unable to complete the route/segment? Answer: The first 64 runners that sign up will have a guaranteed spot in the bracket, but we will be taking on extra "alternate-waitlist-runners" who will be patiently waiting to step-in as needed!

Question: What if both runners from round 2 and on don't complete the route/segment? Answer: the board will look into the bracket and potentially bring the runner from the previous round forward to compete. So...if you get eliminated, don't give up, you might still be in it!

Question: What if I run the route correctly but the GPS does not pick up the segment for some reason? Answer: Email your route to us and the board will gather all information and data to make a decision.

Question: How long are the routes? Answer: The routes will range from 6-14 miles w/ lots of climbing, and hopefully a lot of MUD!