This was the second in the Portland Trail Series Fall race line up, and I had a blast. I'd never done a race like this, relatively short, super laid back but very professional and definitely a trail runners race.

Cost
Normal price if you sign up in advance is $69, and for that you get five races and (what I'm told are) a ton of free raffle prizes. I thought these giveaways were each week, but I didn't see any last night. I might have just left before they were handed out though. Either way, just by the sponsor list and word on the street, I'm sure there are some killer giveaways.
CORRECTION: Just found out there WERE giveaways last night on a big board with bib numbers, but yours truly missed it. Doh!

I paid $20 for day of registration, and was happy with what I got. Clearly marked course, instantaneous online results, and access to an otherwise sold-out, fast, fun, challenging trail race. Chatted with the RD for a while too and he was great. Plenty of water and sports drink at the start and finish, and easy access to porto johns. No shirts or medals which was just fine by me. (I ranked SWAG on the above mentioned items)

The Race
I went out fast with my buddy Chris (who'd won the first race in the series) and we held the lead for a little under a mile before we got passed with authority by the eventual winner. Chris slowly (then quickly) pulled away and I never saw the two leaders again. Elevation gain was about 850 ft, and overall it was a really nice mix of up, down, and some flat.

My lungs were really burning, and I realized how few ~10K races I've run, and how freaking hard they are! You are just redlining the whole time and it is TOUGH.
I felt the fourth place guy closing in on me a lot faster than he actually was, so that pushed me to keep the pace up as much as possible and I made it to a 3rd place finish.

Conclusion
I'd definitely recommend this race and the series to anyone who's already into trail running or looking to start. There were about 100 people running and it felt like just the right size and mix of people - wonderful vibe. I loved it and can't wait to run another one.