Peninsula Adventure Sports’s final race of the 2024 season is a full-on full-day race-fest.

Openings are still available for the Salt Creek 24, a 24-hour running/walking event with three options for participation, set for Oct. 26-27 at the Salt Creek Recreation Area just west of Port Angeles.

In the solo event, racers have 24 hours to see what their body and mind are capable of. While the clock will be running for 24 hours, this event is designed to allow athletes to challenge themselves by their own design — they can lap the 1.3-mile course when they want, as many times as they like.

They can run or walk the whole 24 hours — or any other number of hours is fine too, in any configuration. Some have a certain mileage goal, while others might be training for another race.

“We chose to structure our race this way because we recognize that every individual has their own unique goal,” race director Brittany Shrout said.

“Just last year I watched a couple complete their very first marathon distance together, side by side, hand in hand. In the same 24 hours, I witnessed three ladies complete their first 100-mile race.”

The relay event is great for a group of friends, family, or coworkers — or any combination of the three, organizers noted.

“[The relay] is kind of like a party. And we saw a lot of that last year. There are themes and sometimes costumes, and a lot of camaraderie,” structure said.

Teams can break up the running or walking into scheduled mileage or time intervals, or they can wing it and pass the torch when they are ready for a rest.

The Last Runner Standing division is on a separate course than the 24-hour event.

It takes place on neighboring Striped Peak, on Department of Natural Resources land, with the start/finish at Salt Creek Recreation Area.

With significant elevation gain, this event attracts a certain caliber of runner.

The course is nearly 4 mile up and back with more than 1,000 feet in elevation gain, summiting Striped Peak every hour on the hour, until all runners except one drop out or do not make the 60-minute cutoff. In 2023, the race lasted 13 hours.

This year it is anticipated that the race could go through the night.

Registration for this event doubled between 2023 and 2024, up to 14 racers for this year.

For the community

There is also an option to make any of these events a fundraiser. Peninsula Adventure Sports owner Lorrie Mittmann likens doing the relay as a fundraiser to the Relay for Life that used to happen annually in Clallam County, but instead of raising money for one cause, racers or teams can choose to raise money for any charity they want.

“Our racers raised over $7,000 for local and regional charity partners last year,” Mittmann said.

This year, charity partners include 4PA, Peninsula Trails Coalition, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (WA Chapter), Girls on the Run Westsound, The Healing Circle, Peninsula College Foundation and The Trevor Project.

Event organizers are currently also looking for volunteers; go to runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/WA/PortAngeles/SaltCreek24.

For more information, contact Shrout at saltcreek24rd@gmail.com or visit Salt-Creek-24.com.