I ran my second PHUNT 25K on Jan. 15. It was 16 degrees at the start, so it was a cold morning, but it was, as expected, a well-run race. There was plenty of communication from the race director ahead of time and afterward. It was also a covid-safe event, with vaccinations required, masks required indoors and an early start option.
While I'm sure there are hillier races out there, this race is extremely challenging for me. I live in a flat area and the 25K had nearly 2,000 feet of elevation gain. It's also on trails — mostly singletrack trails. My average pace was 18:20 on my watch (18:44 on the results). I did the early start, but I wouldn't recommend that if you are a slower runner like me, because I had to keep pulling off to the side to let people pass on the singletrack.
My friends and I drove up that morning. Parking and packet pickup that morning were super easy. Parking is free.
Swag was a neck gaiter and the finisher Phuckle (for finishers), along with an emergency blanket. So it wasn't a ton of swag, but I personally prefer less swag for a more affordable race. I believe this race was just $40 (I signed up in 2020). There was also swag for sale.
The aid stations were great, there were free photos provided by photographers along the course, and the course was well-marked.
This is a fun and challenging event with a great community!