Annual Grin and Bear It this Saturday

Last chance to sign up for Eddyline Brewing Trail Series

by Stan Cola

The 32nd Annual Grin and Bear It trail run is this Saturday, July 18. The race starts at 9 a.m. and is a 9-mile out-and-back from the Crested Butte Nordic Center to Green Lake. The race will be followed by awards, a raffle and a BBQ in shady cottonwoods provided by the parents of the Crested Butte Nordic Team and accompanied by a keg of First Cast IPA from Elevation Brewing.

Don’t feel like charging down the trail from Green Lake? There will be uphill times so you can charge up to Green Lake, go for a swim, hang out and come back down to town for the party. Registration at cbnordic.org closes this Friday, July 17. All participants will receive a commemorative neck gaiter.

The Grin and Bear It is also the first race of the Eddyline Brewing Trail Series. The series includes the Grin and Bear It, the Synergy Athlete Half Marathon on Saturday, July 25 and the Camp 4 Cart to Cart on Saturday, September 26. Cost for the series is $75, which is less than registering for each individual race. Results will be updated after each race with awards going to overall series winners. Proceeds from the series go to the Crested Butte Nordic Council, Living Journeys and Crested Butte Mountain Runners. The first 75 to sign up get an Eddyline pint glass.

Walk up registration for the trail series will be available at the Grin and Bear It, and at the Synergy Athlete Half Marathon. Registration for the series is open until the day of the Synergy Athlete Half Marathon on Saturday, July 25. More information on the series and online registration can be found at livingjourneys.org/trailseries.