The Light at the End of the Tunnel is a fast point to point marathon on a scenic gravel trail (not technical trail) east of Seattle. There is no expo, which is awesome - very small race, so you show up and get your bib on race morning.

The day starts with you parking at Twin Falls Middle School, followed by a bus trip to the starting area. You cross the start line at Hyak trailhead on the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. Not long after starting you get to run through the Hyak Tunnel, which is close to 2.5 or 3 miles of pitch black, with literally just a pinpoint of light at the far end! It's damp, cool, and full of echoes of runners' breath, footfalls, and laughter. Run with a flashlight or headlamp!! I carried mine and they give you small bags to drop them in at the first table right outside the tunnel, so you don't have to carry it the whole time. The tunnel portion is very cool!!

After that you're running on gravel roads in a beautiful park with a lot of shade, crossing beautiful foot bridges with nice views. The course is very fast, and is pretty much all downhill, though it's a gentle downhill, not a quad-pounding downhill. There are hikers and cyclists out and about on the trail, but it wasn't ever a problem.

There are 8 or 9 aid stations along the course, though I carried my hydration pack just in case. We had great weather in 2015, warming up slightly by the end but otherwise comfortable running temps and blue skies.

There was an issue last year with signage towards the end of the course - I think a few mile markers were missing but apparently there was an issue unlocking a fire road gate which delayed them getting those last signs up. Not a big deal. The race was well organized and responsive ahead of time if you had a question.

The medal was decent, though the shirt was a bit too big. The most important thing about this race is the BQ that came out of it! I definitely recommend this event if you're looking for a PR, BQ, or just to check Washington off your list of states. It was beautiful and a lot of fun. Oh, and it sells out fast, so be ready to sign up!!